478 On Succinea amphibia. 



y, media, more elongated and deeper coloured ; {Fig. 3 



and 4). 

 5; minor, with the aperture ovate ; {Fig. 5 and 6). 



Var. £, major. This, the first variety, is abundantly met 

 with in the neighbourhood of London. The largest speci- 

 mens in my collection measure 94 lines in length, and 5 in 

 breadth. It is easily distinguished from the ordinary Succi- 

 nea amphibia by its larger size, thicker nature, and flesh-co- 

 loured appearance. In the vicinity of Richmond, Surrey, this 

 variety is most abundant. 



Var. y, media. Much confusion has arisen with this vari- 

 ety. Dr. Turton in his ' Manual ' actually figures it for Suc- 

 cinea oblonga, (Drap.), by no means a common shell in the 

 vicinity of London, but occurs occasionally at Battersea. — 

 This then is the variety y of Beard, the Sue. oblonga of Dr. 

 Turton, and the Sue. gracilis of Mr. Alder, in ' Magazine 

 of Zoology and Botany.' It is most abundant in the River 

 Wandle, Surrey, and many other parts of the neighbourhood. 

 Mr. Alder mentions having observed them within a hundred 

 yards of Sue. amphibia, each retaining its characteristic marks 

 in the colour of the animal and shape of the shell. This I 

 cannot confirm, fori have observed them in several situations 

 high up the river Thames, and have gathered specimens of 

 this variety, actually intermingled with the true shell; confirm- 

 ing my opinion that Sue, gracilis of Mr. Alder is the variety 

 y of Drap. and therefore synonymous with Dr. Turton's Sue. 

 oblonga. This variety usually measures 6 lines in length and 

 nearly 3 in breadth ; is of a more slender form and a deeper 

 amber colour than the preceding. 



Var. $, minor. I consider this to be the shell sent me by 

 Mr. Bean of Scarborough, under the name of Sue. intermedia, 

 (Bean). They are occasionally met with in the neighbour- 

 hood of London, as I am informed by Professor Thomas Bell, 

 beneath cow-dung. This variety comprises the smallest per- 

 fect shells of the amphibia I have seen ; measuring only 4 

 lines in length and 2^ in breadth. In addition to their cor- 

 responding with Draparnaud's description, they are of a light- 

 er and more opaline colour than any of the preceding varieties. 



The Succinea amphibia and its varieties are found gene- 

 rally abundant in ponds, ditches, and marshy situations, at- 

 tached to the roots or other parts of aquatic plants overflowed 

 by the tide. The shell is very thin and fragile, much care is 

 therefore necessary in extracting the animal. I cannot alto- 

 gether agree with Mr. Jeffrys with respect to changing the 

 name from Sue. amphibia of Draparnaud to Sue. putris of 

 Linnaeus ; as I have frequently collected this species on va- 



