Mr. W. H. Benson on some new Land Shells. 437 



valde reflexo, superne expanse, calloso, appresso, perforationem 

 obsoletani tegente, turn oblique descendente. 

 Diam. major 12-14, minor 11-12|, axis 7-9 mill. » 



Previously to the receipt of Mr. Layard^s specimens, Dr.Pfeiffer, 

 who had obtained the shell from Dr. Albers, sent it to me for 

 inspection; and I subsequently received examples from Dr. Albers 

 himself, with the name above adopted, Mr. Tollin having trans- 

 mitted to him the first specimens seen in Europe. 



Mr. Layard has found it on all sides of Table Mountain at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, on the DeviPs Peak, and in the ravine behind 

 the Admiralty at Simonstown, always in damp shady places, under 

 stones. The caudal portion of the animal is very long and narrow, 

 and carinate above. The inferior tentacula are short and white, 

 the superior very long and attenuated, generally wavy, and black, 

 with white tips, slightly clubbed, in which the small black eyes 

 are set. The animal creeps fast, with a serpentine motion, 

 carrying the shell horizontally on the back, and, when recently 

 taken, has a curious habit of retracting the head into the shell, 

 while the long tail portion remains extruded; it then throws 

 itself about, as Mr. Layard reports, doubling, twisting, and often 

 springing away several inches, with the little button-like shell 

 adhering to the anterior extremity of the part exposed. In con- 

 nexion with this fact I may mention that Mr. Theobald has lately 

 met, in the Khasya Hills, with a little Vitrina which springs 

 3 or 4 inches from the ground. 



Several Helices, which I met with round the foot of Table 

 Mountain, have been observed by Mr. Layard at various ele- 

 vations, as instanced already in H. perplicata, which inhabits 

 succulent plants, as well as the under sides of stones. H. vor- 

 ticialis, Bens., occurred on the Devil's Peak, the Lion's Head 

 and Tail, and on Table Mountain, under stones, wood, leaves, 

 and sacking; H. bisculpta, B., on the DeviFs Peak, under 

 stones. Helix dumeticola, B., was met with near the shore at 

 Camp's Bay, parasitic on Helia; capensis, and feeding on that 

 species under ground at the roots of geraniums. Three living 

 specimens were taken with their heads buried in their half- 

 eaten victims, and lived for some time feeding on the small 

 specimens which were introduced into their box. The animal is 

 about half an inch in length, and the upper part of the body is 

 dark grey, with two light stripes running close together down 

 the back, which is minutely mottled. The under side and tail 

 are light brown. 



H. sabuletorum, B., lives under stones at Simon's Bay, in the 

 Round Battery, and in the Admiralty Garden. Mr. Layard 

 states that it has two tentacula, with the eyes at the summits. 

 The lower pair may perhaps be inconspicuous, or abortive, as in 



