My shell was once home to a very large predatory sea snail called a Channeled Whelk, or Busycotypus canaliculatus. They are primarily found on the eastern coast of the United States, but they have also been introduced into the San Francisco Bay. They prefer sandy, shallow, sub-tidal areas. This species of whelk is nocturnal and feeds on clams. Some people enjoy eating Channeled Whelk, but more often they are used as fishing bait.
The shell itself is typically five to eight inches long. When alive, there is a short layer of stiff hair covering the entire shell, but when uninhabited, it has a smooth surface. It is also characterized by its pear-shaped body and large spiral (whorl) at one end, with a straight canal at the other. These shells range in color from buff gray to light tan.
Throughout history, Channeled Whelk shells have been used for many purposes. Native Americans would cut off the long canal of adult shells and make them into beads used on their Wampum belts. In the Early Colonial days in Massachusetts, three of these beads were worth one penny. American Indians would also use them as drinking vessels. Furthermore, the Aborigines used the shell’s sharp edge as a cutting tool. Today, besides food and bait, people use Channeled Whelk shells as decoration in gardens, lawn paths, and flowerpots.
http://www.mitchellspublications.com/guides/shells/articles/0026/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channeled_whelk
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/whelk.aspx
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