50 INTRODUCTION. 
In the last-named paper, M. Rafinesque describes 
two species of Agatina, for such was the orthography 
he adopted for Achatina. 
"Agatina variegata. Raf. 1820. Six spires, smooth, yel- 
lowish, variegated with brown spots near the sutures, first 
spire with some narrow colored strias, concentric. Nearly 
two inches ; from Louisiana. 
" A fuscuta. Raf. 1832. Eight spires, smooth, reddish 
hrown, with broad longitudinal black bands on the spires, 
of a lanceolate flexuose shape. Over two inches ; from 
Texas." 
Persons acquainted with our Helices, will readily 
distinguish nearly all the species on which M. Rafin- 
esque founded the above genera, for it is apparent that 
he had actually before him American specimens, and 
did not depend upon his memory or imagination. It is 
singular, however, that with his fondness for publishing 
species with the contraction " Raf." appended, he 
nowhere described these Helices. Descriptions may, 
indeed, exist unnoticed in some of the loose fragments 
which heralded his pretended discoveries ; but this is 
not likely. The probable explanation of the fact is, that 
he became acquainted with most of the species in Phila- 
delphia, (in the winter of 1818 and 1819, after his 
return from his first visit to the West,) where they had 
already been announced by Mr. Say : a supposition 
which is supported by the fact, that in two letters from 
him to the New York Lyceum, published in the Ameri- 
can Monthly Magazine mid Critical Review, in Septem- 
