MARINE AQUARIA 



what rounded whorls, a moderately elevated spire and blunt apex. Found 

 on muddy shores not exposed to the surf, from Maine to Florida. 



Nassa trivittata, (Say), a smaller form, has an ovate-conic J^ inch 

 greenish-white, seven-whorled shell, with the surface marked with lines 

 and granulations. The whorls are rounded, suture depressed and apex 

 acute. Found at low-water marks along the Atlantic coast generally. 



Buccinum undatum, (Linn.), or Common Whelk, has a heavy ovate- 

 conic six-whorled greyish 3 inches shell, marked with coarse revolving 

 lines and waved transverse wrinkles. Found from Canada to the Caroli- 

 nas and further south. 



Urosalpinx cinereum, (Say), or Oyster Drill, has a long-oval coarse 

 and solid five- or six-whorled, ash-colored or reddish-brown, one inch long 

 shell with a number of rib-like undulations and revolving lines on the 

 convex whorls. The suture is depressed and the beak slightly curved. 

 Common along the Middle Atlantic coast and larger in southern waters. 

 Fulgur canaliculata, (Say), or Turret Conch, has a 6 to 9 inches long 

 pear-shaped, rather thin, pale faun-colored shell, with about six turreted 

 whorls and a deeply impressed channeled suture. It is one of the com- 

 mon Conchs of the Atlantic coast, found from Cape Cod to Georgia. 



Fulgur carica, (Linn.), or Spined Conch, has a solid ash-colored six- 

 whorled shell, with a series of compressed spines or nodules about the 

 larger three whorls. The upper whorls are somewhat depressed and the 

 suture shallow and not channeled as in the foregoing. It is less abundant 

 but is distributed in the same localities. 



Bivalves. The most common Bivalves of the Middle Atlantic 

 States coast are : 



Ensis directus, (Conn), or Common Razor Clam, has yellowish-green 

 scabbard-shaped valves about 5 to 6 inches long and i inch broad, with 

 rounded, nearly parallel ends. It lives on sandy beaches near low-water 

 marks along almost the entire Atlantic coast. 



Mya truncata, (Linn.), or Common Soft-shell Clam, or Gaper, has 

 oblong-ovate inequilateral strong, deeply concave 3 inches long valves 

 with distinctly marked umbones. The valves are rounded anteriorly and 

 truncated posteriorly, dingy white in color with yellowish and brown 

 wrinkled epidermis. Generally distributed along the Atlantic coast south 

 to South Carolina, and most abundant along the New England coast. 



Mactra solidissima, (Dillw.), or Trough Clam, another soft-shelled 

 form, has very large, massive, transversely ovate, sometimes triangular 

 454! inches long valves, with the epidermis usually worn or eroded. The 

 umbones are usually distinct and the surface slightly folded at the lines of 

 growth. This clam is also known as the Beach- or Dipper-clam, and is 



314 



