128 THE NAUTILUS. 



A SICILIAN COLLECTION. 



BY MAXWELL SMITH. 



During February and March, 1908, it was my good fortune to 

 spend nearly fifty days on the island of Sicily, and I improved every 

 opportunity which presented itself for mollusk hunting. 



Soon after my arrival in Palermo I called upon the Marquis de 

 Monterosato, and obtained from him much valuable information in 

 regard to localities of Sicilian shells. I also viewed his unrivaled 

 collection of Mediterranean shells, which is especially rich in Sicilian 

 species. 



After a few weeks in Palermo the following towns were visited in 

 the order named Girgenti, Siracuse, Taormina and Messina. Ex- 

 cursions were made from each, but at no time were shells taken 

 more than twelve miles from the sea. From the above will be no- 

 ticed that the northern, southern and eastern coasts were visited; but 

 the interior and western mountains were untouched. The mountains 

 in the west are exceedingly rich in peculiar species, including the 

 most striking of the latticed Clausilia. Each mountain and plain on 

 the island contains its own species or group of species. 



Monte Pellegrino, above Palermo, supports a rich snail fauna. 

 The mountain is largely composed of perforated limestone, in the re- 

 cesses of which a large proportion of the land mollusca live. At the 

 base of Pellegrino in the grass live Helix hamilcaris Kobelt. Under 

 stones at the base of the cliffs Ferussacia folliculus Gron. Half way 

 up the trail Helix mazzulli Jan. and Helix sicana Fer. first appear 

 and extend nearly to the summit. Within a hundred feet of the 

 summit Clausilia grohmanniana Phil., which was rare below, I 

 found in comparative abundance. Near the signal station on the 

 top Helix macrostoma Muhlf. , one of the few Sicilian Campylceas, 

 was discovered in crevices of the rock. Thus these species appa- 

 rently prefer various elevations above the sea. 



The most remunerative season for terrestrial mollusks in Sicily is 

 during November and December, when the rainy season is usually 

 at its height. At this time every wall is said to teem with shell life. 

 But as 1 found at Girgenti even the dry season is not unpopular with 

 land mollusca. On the first limb of a single almond tree I counted 

 no less than two hundred and fifty specimens of Helix. The opercu- 



