WHELK, Buccinum a genus of gasteropodous mollusks, of the family buccinicks. The shell is ovate, turreted, and more or less ventricose; its mouth ovate, emarginate, or produced into a very short canal below, the outer lip expanded, the inner lip usually thin and smooth within. The operculum is horny. The animal has a broad head, with two tentacula, with the base of which the stalks bearing the eyes are united, the pro boscis is large, and the tongue armed with teeth, which are used for the purpose of rasping substances used for food—almost any animal substance being welcome for this use—or for perforating the shells of other mollusks in order to prey upon them. There are about 20 known species, chiefly found on the coasts of the colder parts 'of the world. The British coasts produce several species, of which the most abundant is the WII EIS (B. undatum). It occurs from low-water mark to a depth of 100 fathoms, is some times 3 in. in length, grayish or brownish white, with numerous raised ridges and spiral strive. It is very widely distributed in the northern parts of the northern hemi sphere, and is one of the most common mollusks of the arctic regions. It is much used as
an article' of food, is cooked simply by boiling, and is generally eaten with vinegar and pepper. Great quantities are consumed in London, chiefly by the poorer classes. In former times, whelks would appear to have been more highly esteemed than now. Eight thousand of them were provided for the of William Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, in 1504. Yet on some parts of the British coasts, as on those of Scotland, whelks are never eaten, a prejudice existing against them as unsuitable for food. The whelks brought to the London market are mostly obtained by dredging. On the coast of Galloway, where they are used as a bait for catching cod, they are procured by letting down baskets containing pieces of fish in about 10 fathoms of water. The baskets being taken up next day, are found to contain many whelks which have crept into them to feed on the garbage. The name whelk (or teilk) is popularly given in Scotland to the periwinkle, the whelk being known by that of are more than 100 fossil species of whelk in the miocene formations.