. Economic mollusca of Acadia . 34 THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. lines more marked and tapers to both ends. The adult is about an inch in length. It has, like other Gasteropod Molluscs, a "tongue ''' or lingual ribbon, set with sharp siliceous teeth. This- ribbon can be moved back and forth so that its acts- like a file. It is so arranged that it moves in the arc of a vertical circle, and by its use the animal can bore a clean round hole through an Oyster-shell: then by means- of its proboscis it can suck out the juices of its victim. It deposits its eggs in short-stalked capsules on t
. Economic mollusca of Acadia . 34 THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. lines more marked and tapers to both ends. The adult is about an inch in length. It has, like other Gasteropod Molluscs, a "tongue ''' or lingual ribbon, set with sharp siliceous teeth. This- ribbon can be moved back and forth so that its acts- like a file. It is so arranged that it moves in the arc of a vertical circle, and by its use the animal can bore a clean round hole through an Oyster-shell: then by means- of its proboscis it can suck out the juices of its victim. It deposits its eggs in short-stalked capsules on the under surfaces of stones. It lives chiefly upon Oj^sters, but to some extent upon other It is said not to attack the Mussels. —Buccin- um cinereum. EcoNOxMiCrt. This Mollusc is of importance Natural size. ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ accouiit of its destructiveiiess to Oysters. Other Gasteropod Mollusca,such as Purpura, Natica, Nassa, etc., also prey upon Oysters, but their combined ravages are unimportant compared with those of this species. It is very destructive to the beds on the coast of Long Island and New Jersey, and in the Chesapeake. Once having^ attacked a bed, it is almost impossible to get rid of it. Dredging with fine-meshed dredges and the careful destruc- tion of their eggs wherever found in shallow water, seem to be the methods adopted and recommended for keeping them down. They do not spread rapidly, and its careful removal from seed Oysters in planting new beds would do much ta prevent its spread. They seem at times to make sudden and combined attacks on the beds in certain localities. Damage- to the extent of tens of thousands of dollars annually is done to the beds in the localities mentioned above. Such is the case in the United States. But upon our own North Shore we may congratulate ourselves on its com- parative scarcity. It seems to do but little damage there. This is doubtless due to the fact that it is a rock-loving species, and the sandy charact
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectmollusks, bookyear188
