Family Scaphandridie

FAMILY SCAPHANDRIDIE Genus SCAPHANDER, Montf.

Shell scoop-like, gaping, scarcely containing the body. The tentacles are united forming a broad lobe behind the large head. The gizzard is large and very powerful, enabling these creatures to devour good-sized mollusks and reduce their thick shells. They subsist chiefly upon tooth shells, in search of which they burrow persistently in the sand.

The Woody Canoe Shell (S.lignarizis, Linn.), with brownish orange surface grained like fir wood, and white lining, is the type and by far the largest of the canoe shells. Length, 2 to 24.

inches.

Coasts of Great Britain, Norway and Mediter ranean Sea.

S. lineolatus, Couth.,

closely striated, yellowish, with spreading outer lip, one-half inch long, is found in Massachusetts Bay. A white one, a trifle longer, occurs in Casco Bay.

243 The Shell-bearing Sea Slugs Atys Naucum is a pure white bubble-like shell in this family.