Vol. 5. p. 1-4. pi. 1. 
' Mat 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 Neptimea Bolten. By the method 
of elimination, as pointed out by Dr. William H. Dall,' 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 undatiim 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 /)^/r- 
cinumy is mentioned over a dozen times, and in other places 
it is cited as "sea-corn (eggs of Buccinum midatum)/' 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 spiM-ial 
interest: "Captain D. E. Collins and crew, sch. Gussie lihiis- 
dell. A s pecimen of branching soa-corn (eggs of Ihtcciuum 
'Proc. U. S. Xat. Mils.. I!)1S, \o\. .'.J. p. 207-21.'.. 
