Vol. 5, p. 1-4, pi. 1. May 25, 1921. 



Occasional Papers 



OF THE 



Boston Society of Natural History. 



EGG-CAPSULES OF THE TEN-RIBBED WHELK. 



BY CHARLES W. JOHNSON. 



Among the interesting specimens obtained by Mr. Arthur B. 

 Fuller during his trip on a beam trawler to the Georges Bank, 

 August 6 to 11, 1920, were three clusters of the egg-capsules 

 of the Ten-ribbed Whelk, Chrysodomus decemcostatus (Say). 

 This is the Fusus decemcostatus of the older authors, and was 

 later referred to the genus Neptunea Bolten. By the method 

 of elimination, as pointed out by Dr. William H. Dall, 1 Chry- 

 sodomus Swainson will now have to stand as the name of this 

 genus. 



These egg-capsules are commonly referred to by fishermen 

 as "sea-corn," from their resemblance to kernels of corn. As 

 this term also includes the irregular clusters of egg-capsules 

 of the Common Whelk, Buccinum undatum Linn.; some con- 

 fusion has existed that may account for our lack of a more 

 intimate knowledge of the egg-capsules of this common species. 

 In the Report of the United States Commissioner of Fish and 

 Fisheries for 1879 (1882, p. 787-835), is an interesting "List 

 of collections made by the fishing vessels of Gloucester and 

 other New England sea-ports for the United States Fish Com- 

 mission, from 1877 to 1880." The Mollusca were determined 

 by Professor A. E. Verrill. In this list "sea-corn (eggs of Buc- 

 cinum)" is mentioned over a dozen times, and in other places 

 it is cited as "sea-corn (eggs of Buccinum undatum)" The 

 specimens were collected on all the banks from the Georges to 

 the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, in depths ranging from 30 to 

 250 fathoms. The following item on page 829 seems of special 

 interest: "Captain D. E. Collins and crew, sch. Gussie Blais- 

 dell. A specimen of branching sea-corn (eggs of Buccinum 



^roe. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1918, vol. 54, p. 207-215. 



