398 MARINE INVERTEBRATES 
dinal streaks of olive. Encircling the shell are from four to seven black. 
lines. (Plate LXXVI.) 
These three species of Fasciolaria often occur .associated upon sand- 
banks which are exposed at unusually low tides. It requires some force 
to dislodge the large F’. gigantea from its bed of sand. When the apex 
is discovered projecting an inch or less from the bottom, the collector 
must scrape away the sand down to the body-whorl, and then secure a 
good hold upon the spire and pull hard. The stupid animal will not at 
once withdraw into his shell, but will hang protruded from the aperture 
like a great piece of vividly red meat. To extract any of these larger 
fasciolarias from its shell, it is necessary to boil it for ten or fifteen min- 
utes. Large specimens of F’. gigantea should remain in the pot half an 
hour. The heavy corneous epidermis of F. gigantea will dry and crum- 
ble away unless it is rubbed with vaseline about once a year. 
FAMILY VoLUTDE 
Genus Voluta 
The Volutidae, like the cowries, are “ aris- 
toeratic” shells. As was stated above, 
there are many collectors who have be- 
come so fascinated by the shells of a few 
of these “first families of the Mollusca” that 
they make great effortsand spend no small 
sums in seeking to complete their cabinet 
series of the rare and more beautiful forms. 
The Volutide certainly have very beauti- 
ful shells, and they are for the most part 
exceedingly rare. The reason of their 
rarity has no doubt something to do with 
their habits. They are probably largely 
dwellers upon rocky ground, where the 
dredge cannot reach them. There is but 
one species of Voluta upon the American 
coasts which is available to the shore-col- 
lector, and this is the well-known and 
much-sought-after V.junonia. The ani- 
mal of Voluta has a very broad foot, and 
a head curiously divided into two lobes, 
upon which are placed sessile eyes. A remarkable feature of the 
genus is the lack of an operculum. 
Voluta junonia. 
