20 THE SHELL-FISH OF THE COAST. 



that these dark-stained couchs, and other shells of a 

 like character, have been washed out of a subma- 

 rine deposit, or from some clay-bank containing 

 fossil remains. That there is some reason for con- 

 sidering all such as fossils is indicated in the fact 

 that, on and off", specimens not now known to in- 

 habit the New Jersey coast are thrown upon the 

 beach, some of which have been recognized as 

 fossils elsewhere. But for the present it is not 

 safe to accept the hypothesis for an established 

 fact, especially as a number of the more brightly- 

 colored shells, such as the scallops, have at least in 

 part the distinctive deep-blue tinge. 



Among the rarer shells of the coast is the whelk 

 {Bucdnum undatum), whose habitat is more prop- 

 erly the region lying north 

 of Cape Cod peninsula, ex- 

 tending thence eastward to 

 the European continent. 

 With us it is generally 

 found in a largely dilapi- 

 dated condition, indicating 

 considerable wear, and a not 

 improbably distant home. 

 It inhabits a zone extend- 

 ing from low water very 

 nearly to the greatest depths, 

 where it plies its trade as 

 one of the most voracious 



of the marine snails. Great 

 Whelk. 



numbers of the whelk are 



caught (more especially on the north European 



