The Whelks. Trumpet Shells 



by a strong rib; aperture white or tinged with violet; columella 

 thickened. 



Lamarck erected his genus upon a shell which turns out to 

 be Ancillaria glahrata! This slip, however, is overlooked by 

 Tryon, in view of the assemblage of species Larmarck made 

 under this head. There are about twelve species inhabiting 

 Eastern tropical seas. 



The Spiral Ivory Shell (£. spirata, Lam.) has a deep 

 channel as the suturalboundary of its whorls. There is an upper 

 and a lower notch in the large round aperture; the white surface 

 bears series of irregular brownish spots. The sharp apex is 

 black. Length, 2 to 3 inches. 



Habitat. — Ceylon, Philippines. 



The Square-spotted Ivory Shell (E. areolata. Lam.) is 

 ornamented by three regular rows of square brown spots on its 

 swollen body whorl. There is room for but one row on the 

 upper coils. This is the largest and most striking of the ivory 

 shells. Length, 2 to 4 inches. 



Habitat. — Ceylon, China Seas. 



The Japanese Ivory Shell {E. Japonica, Sby.) lives in sandy 

 mud off the coast of Japan. Women and children gather the 

 mollusks for the markets where they are offered as a staple 

 article of food. 



Genus MACRON, H. and A. Ads. 



Shell ovate, thick, with dark, tough epidermis; spire elevated; 

 columella wrinkled; callous at posterior end; outer lip thin, with 

 small anterior tooth ; operculum ovate. West coast of America. 



Kellett's Macron (M. Kellettii, A. Ads.) is a stout little 

 whelk with a wide doorway, notched at top and bottom. A basal 

 ridge around the whorl ends in a tooth on the outer lip. The 

 smooth brown exterior is covered with a dark epidermal coat. 

 Length, i inch. 



Habitat. — Southern and Lower California. 



M. lividus, A. Ads., smaller, paler brown, with epidermis 

 distinctly ridged, is found on Southern California beaches. 



70 



