THE NAUTILUS. 115 



Early in May they began to lay eggs depositing them mostly 

 in a little hole and covering them with earth, although some were 

 apparently indifferent about the matter. The eggs of H. Traskii were 

 somewhat smaller than those of H. iudiculatu, and resembled very 

 much, in size, shape and color, homeopathic pills. They hatched in 

 about 3 weeks, the baby snails seeming to know their way out of the 

 case or shell. Is it not probable this forms the first meal ? 



The tiny things did not live very long, and I could not notice any 

 perceptible growth. The conditions were not favorable, I suppose. 



Early in the Summer the old snails began to go into Summer 

 quarters, and they were soon all asleep except my dear, little glossy- 

 brown Glyptostoma. I had found him in Santa Anita canon. He 

 kept watch all summer over the other sleepers. He would sometimes 

 disappear for a week at a time buried in the ground, but I have 

 never seen him attach himself by an epiphram to the sides of the 

 box as the others do. 



All Summer they remained impervious to the freqent sprinklings 

 which they received, but when the first rain came one night in early 

 November, four or five of them woke up and began to investigate 

 matters. They seemed to appreciate some bread and lettuce, but 

 went to sleep again during the dry weather which followed. 



Each rain brought some of them to life, and during a long and 

 recent rain, nearly every one of them " came to." 



A few of them have died since awakening out of their sleep, but 

 I think their time had come, for they were regular old patriarchs. 

 I have not noticed any addition to the growth of the larger ones, but 

 the smaller ones especially little "Glyp," have made quite an addi- 

 tion to their houses. The newly formed shell looks soft and is 

 almost transparent. 



Perhaps I will tire those who know all about raising snails, by my 

 long description, but, I hope there will be some to whom my report 

 will be of interest, and who will find as much pleasure and profit in 

 in a Snailery as I have found. 



COMMUNICATION. 



To all readers of THE NAUTILUS, the editorial note on the first 

 page of the January number suggests the possibility that the pleas- 

 ant monthly visits of this modest but valuable little journal may stop 

 with the current volume. Are we as conchoiogists going to allow 



