HELICINA. 353 



numerous capillary zones, and some specimens are mot- 

 tled with pale spots. Whorls five, well rounded, suture 

 well impressed. Aperture rather large, semilunar ; lip 

 white, moderately reflexed, and often greatly thickened 

 and protruded by age ; columella short, joining the lip 

 at nearly a right angle, and forming thereby a denticu- 

 lar protuberance ; base delicately enamelled. 



Diameter three-eighths of an inch ; axis one-fourth of 

 an inch. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. Found plentifully in 

 Florida, and abundantly in Texas, also in Alabama, Mis- 

 sissippi, Georgia, Tennessee, and Ohio. 



REMARKS. This species seems to be distributed over 

 a very wide extent of territory, and also to be subject to 

 great variations in size and coloring. From specimens 

 collected in company, within a very small area, individ- 

 uals might be selected differing so widely from each 

 other that no one would hesitate to regard them as very 

 different species, unless their history were known. That 

 such a multiplication of species has already been made, 

 there can be little doubt. In the first place, H. rubella, 

 Green, corresponds to immature specimens of this shell. 

 It is true that Dr. Binney regarded it as quite distinct, 

 and identical with H. occulta, as is fully detailed in the 

 first volume, page 183-4. But we are satisfied that 

 had he been spared to have examined the numerous spe- 

 cimens in his collection he would have expressed a differ- 

 ent opinion. H. castanea, (Thes. Conch, f. 31, 32,) 

 VOL. ii. 45 



