48 HELICID^E. 



their lives. In the early days of spring, they sometimes 

 assemble in considerable numbers, in warm and sunny 

 situations, where they pass hours in indolent enjoyment 

 of the warmth and animating influence of the sunshine. 

 Whether these meetings serve any useful purpose in the 

 economy of the animal, or are caused by the pleasurable 

 sensation, and renewed strength derived from the warmth 

 of the situation after the debility of their winter's tor- 

 pidity, is uncertain ; it is probable, however, that they 

 precede the business of procreation. It is certain that 

 they last but a short time, and that after early spring, 

 the animals are to be found in their usual retreats. 



In the course of the months of May or June, earlier 

 or later, according to the locality and as the season is 

 more or less warm, they begin to lay their eggs. These 

 are deposited, to the number of from thirty to fifty and 

 even more, in the moist and light mould, sheltered from 

 the sun's rays by leaves, or at the side of logs and 

 stones, without any order, and slightly agglutinated 

 together. The depth of the deposit is usually measured 

 by the extreme length of the animal, which thrusts its 

 head and body into the soil to the utmost extent, while 

 the shell remains at the surface ; but sometimes the ani- 

 mal burrows three or four inches deep before making the 

 deposit, in order to insure a sufficiently moist position. 

 Three or four such deposits, and sometimes more, are 

 made by one animal during the summer and autumn. 

 When the deposit is complete it is abandoned by the 

 animal. The eggs vary in size according to the magni- 



