12 G. E. BULLEN LAND AND FRESH-WATEE 



to be seen. The green variety of this pretty mollusc, var, 

 virescens, was also there, but in scarcity. The exquisite little 

 glass snail, Vitrhia pelhicida, appears to frequent situations 

 close to water, and is irregularly distributed. I have found it in 

 fair numbers, however, in my garden at St. Michael's amongst 

 damp moss and decaying leaves. 



In the same locality I collected seven species of Zonites, 

 generally under stones : Zonites cellarius, alUarus, glaber, 

 nitidulus, imrus, nitldus, and crystallinus. I used to overturn 

 certain large stones once every fortnight, and invariably was 

 rewarded by finding four or five species of this genus beneath. 

 The species of this genus, I would remind you, are most difficult 

 to determine unless the identification is carried out whilst the 

 animal is still living. 



Hertfordshire may boast of harliouring in its hedgerows a 

 marketable delicacy in the person of the edible snail. Helix 

 pomatia, the so-called " Roman snail," but whether it be a relict 

 of the Roman occupation or not I am not in a position to say.* 

 However, this handsome mollusc occurs locally in quantity ; 

 at one spot near Hatfield, I am informed, it is plentiful, and 

 it has also been recorded at Puckeridge, St. Albans, Hemel 

 Hempstead, and elsewhere. I have obtained it at Hemel 

 Hempstead, but only very occasionally. Those of you who 

 have never essayed the gastronomic possibilities of this mollusc 

 shovtld, I consider, from a purely personal standpoint do so ; 

 it is excellent when well cooked, and moreover, I am informed, 

 is a suggested palliative for consumption, but whether this 

 referred to the ailment or the consumption of snails as an article 

 of diet I was unable further to ascertain. 



Of the genus Helix I have taken in this county twenty species, 

 specimens of which I have pleasure in exhibiting. At least half 

 of this number can be ol)tained by careful search in any garden, 

 and a bed of nettles will prove a most productive hunting-ground. 

 Helix aculecda I have taken at Redl)ourn and at Watford ; Helix 

 pulchella I have ol»taiued once in my garden at St. Michael's and 

 often at Cassiol)ury and Ashridge, where also (at these two last- 

 named localities) I collected the so-called rock-cutting snail, 

 H. lapicida. 



My specimens of Bulimus obsciinis and Pupa nmhilicata and 

 marginota all came from amongst damp moss in Highfield Park, 

 Hemel Hempstead. But after much carefid searching I only 

 once fell in with a species of the genus Vertigo, and that the 

 commonest, V. edentula, in the same locality, although I have 

 obtained four different species in Cornish woods. 



Baled perverm I have collected near Bedmond, Leverstock 

 Green, Sandridge, and other localities, but I do not consider 

 this species to be oth(n' than very local in its distribution. 



* In some localitios it may have been thus introduced, but it was present in 

 Britain long bel'oie the lloman occupation. — Ed. 



