BULIMUS. 265 



subdivisions, and merely for the sake of convenience. 

 This, however, was going to another extreme. For an 

 examination of the internal organization of the animal 

 has shown that there are essential differences in the 

 structure of the reproductive and digestive organs, and 

 in the parts within the mouth, not only to justify, but to 

 demand, a separation into several genera. Still, the 

 external characters are so similar, and so few species 

 have been examined anatomically, that the precise line 

 of demarcation between these genera, and especially 

 in the case of the genera Helix and Bulimus, is not yet 

 definitely settled. 



The species of this genus coming within our province 

 are so few, probably but a single species being truly na- 

 tive, that it would be quite out of place to attempt to settle 

 a question so broad as that which is here involved. We 

 shall, therefore, bring under this genus such of our shells 

 as have been hitherto arranged under it, although two 

 or three sub-genera, perhaps even true genera, are repre- 

 sented by them. Bulimus lubricu^ for instance, seems 

 to have little or no affinity with B. dealbatus, or even 

 with B. decollates, but is more likely to be congeneric 

 with Glandina. Bulimus liarpa belongs rather to the 

 genus Pupa. But we will endeavor to give such details, 

 respecting each species, as to afford additional material 

 for the final adjustment of this difficult question. 



VOL. ii. 34 



