Marine Shells of Massachusetts. 267 
This species appears to be, with scarcely an excep- 
tion, associated with Cerithium reticulatum, Totten, but 
is much less abundant. In the spring they are found 
upon the surface of the sand. Their station, however, 
is a few feet below low-water mark, where they are 
found clinging to sea weed, stones, other shells, &c. 
Their movements are very lively, agreeably to a remark 
of Quoy upon the species in general of this division 
(Nassa) of Buccins. I have found them at Nantucket 
within the harbor, in the harbor of New Bedford, and 
in that of Dartmouth. Dr. A. A. Gould has found 
them as far north as Provincetown, and a single speci- 
men has been found at, Chelsea beach. Say found. the 
species in the southern States. 
B. ob obsolétum. Nan obsoléta, Say. Journ. Ac. Nat. 
Sc. II. 232. Büccinum olivifórme. Kiener, Iconog. 
The cancellate and. granulated appearance, men- 
tioned both by Say and by Kiener, is not a constant 
character, except'in the’ young shell. On the full 
grown shell it is frequently more or less distinct on the 
upper part of the spire, but becomes obsolete upon the 
larger whorls. Dr. Storer remarks (Translation of Kie- 
ner’s Iconog. p. 68) that “ the tranverse striæ are con- 
stant, but the longitudinal strie are usually wanting, 
and are often replaced by folds | running the whole mer. 
of the shell, resembling in this respect B. und 
The white band, upon the inner side of the labrum, ER 
-above the middle, is usually well defined; the inner 
irface of the labrum is purplish black near the margin, 
ind. purplish white more interiorly. In a specimen from 
Florida, the white band is not distinct from the pur- 
E > X 
ow 
* 
