THE MUSEUM 



A Monthly Magazine Devoted to Research in Natural Science. 



Vol. VI. 



ALBION, N. Y., DECEMBER 15, 1899 



No. 2 



JTHEJ^USEUNL^ 



A Monthly Magazine devoted to Ornithology, 



Oology, Mollusca, Echinodermata, 



Mineralogy and Allied 



Sciences. 



Walter F. Webb, Editor and Manager 

 Albion, N. Y. 



Correspondence and items of interest on above top- 

 ics, as well as notes on the various Museums of the 

 World— views from same, discoveries relative to the 

 handling and keeping of Natural History material, 

 descriptive habits of various species, are solicited 

 from all. 



Make articles as brief as possible and as free from 

 technical terms as the subjects will allow. All letters 

 will be promptly answered. 



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Notes on American Land Shells. 



(Continued from November number.) 



The season of hibernation continues 

 from four to six months. The final 

 cause of this extraordinary condition is 

 undoubtedly to enable the animal to 

 resist successfully the extreme reduc- 

 tion of temperature and to survive 

 through a long period when it must, in 

 northern climates at least, be entirely 

 destitute of food. With a view to the 

 first purpose, a place of shelter is pro- 

 vided, and the aperture of the shell is 

 hermetically sealed by the epiphragm 

 or the hibernaculum; for the second, 

 the state of torpor is adopted, during 

 which the functions of digestion, respi- 



ration and circulation being suspended, 

 and all the secretions and excretions 

 having ceased there is no drain upon 

 the strength and vitality of the animal, 

 and no exhaustion of its forces. Hence 

 it comes forth at the end of the period, 

 in much the same condition in which it 

 commenced it, and resumes almost im- 

 mediately its usual functions and hab- 

 its. So entire is the cessation of the 

 function of respiration -that the air con- 

 tained within the epiphragm and the 

 animal is found unchanged. The cir- 

 culation, however, may be partially 

 restored by a small degree of heat, the 

 warmth of the hand being sufficient to 

 stimulate the heart to action. 



In the portions of the country sub- 

 ject to long periods of drought, the 

 same process is resorted to as a defense 

 against want of moisture. In this case 

 the epiphragm is much thicker. In 

 the genus Binneyi, it is still more de- 

 veloped, in order to protect the parts 

 of the animal incapable of being drawn 

 within the shell. 



The snails pass the greater part of 

 their lives under dead leaves and logs, 

 under stones or burrowing in the 

 ground. They seldom come from their 

 lurking'places while the sun shines, and 

 indeed are never seen ranging in the 

 day time unless the day be dark and 

 damp. Should they then be surprised 

 by the appearance of the sun they im- 

 mediately take shelter from its rays 

 under some cover or on the shaded 

 sides of trunks of trees. 



Their natural food is vegetable, and 

 the formation of the mouth and the 

 organs with which it is armed, seems 

 to be peculiarly well adapted for cut- 

 ting fruits and the succulent leaves of 

 plants. The cutting-edge of the jaw 

 being applied against the substance to 



