[11] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 195 



Fulgur carica, Conrad. 



This species is found along the eastern coast of the United States 

 from Florida to Cape Cod. It is abundant in Vineyard and Long 

 Island Sounds, in from 1 to 10 fathoms. It occurs in the Miocene for- 

 mation of Maryland, and in the Post-Pliocene of Virginia, North and 

 South Carolina, and Florida. 



Sycotypus canaliculars, Gill. 



This is found on the eastern coast of the United States from Florida 

 to Cape Cod, also on the west coast of Florida and the northern shores 

 of the Gulf of Mexico. It is abundant in Vineyard and Long Island 

 Sounds, in from 1 to 8 fathoms of water. It occurs in the Post-Pliocene 

 of Virginia, North and South Carolina and Northern Florida, and in the 

 Miocene of Maryland and Virginia. 



As these species generally exist in company, and in habits have a close 

 relationship, they are considered together, though the former is found 

 in greater abundance in more southern waters than the latter, and has 

 structural and other distinguishing peculiarities. Both species are oc- 

 casionally found on sandy flats and in tide pools, especially during the 

 spawning season, but they generally live in deeper water and off shore. 

 They are found, also, on rocky shores but usually are met with on 

 gravelly and shelly bottoms, where they find a larger amount of suste- 

 nance. These large shells are readily recognized by the fishermen and 

 inhabitants of the coast, who have assigned them various designations. 

 On the borders of Long Island Sound and Long Island they are called 

 indiscriminately ''Periwinkles"; while on the coast of New Jersey this 

 is abbreviated to "Winkle," or corrupted into "Wrinkle." The Sycoty- 

 pus canaliculatvs is also called the " Hairy Whelk," a designation due to 

 its hairy epidermis. This species varies in color very much, and may be 

 found of a light orange or livid brown. The Fulgur carica also varies 

 with advanciug age or with the climate. 



The. eggs of both species are deposited in capsules, which are strung 

 together in strings frequently a foot or more in length. Each capsule con- 

 tains some twenty or more eggs, and from fifty to one hundred capsules 

 are found in a string. There arc marked differences in the character of 

 the capsules of each species by which they may be distinguished; that 

 of _F. carica being smaller, thicker, and having truncate edges; while 8. 

 canaliculars has larger, thinner capsules, with a thin, sharp, outer edge 

 and radiating ribs on the sides; but both are peculiar and will be 

 readily recognized after inspection of the specimens exhibited. As 

 both the Fulgur and Sycotypus are predatory and carnivorous, destroying 

 by means of the teeth on the lingual ribbon any unfortunate bivalve they 

 may meet; as they are especially enemies of the oyster and clam; and as 

 they are in the present day of little or no use to man, both they and their 

 curious egg-cases had best be destroyed whenever met. 



