HELIX. 243 



gical Journal/ and sorry I am to be obliged to record a 

 tragical sequel to the story, for the poor Kttle thing was 

 killed by being accidentally thrown on the fire. 



"In October or November, 1823, a full-grown individual 

 of Helix nemoralis was found in a garden in Lambeth, 

 closed up for the winter. In this state it was thrown about 

 by children in a warm room for a month. Happening to 

 be placed in a garden-pot, it felt the moisture, and soon 

 walked about ; but, finding no food, it attached itself to the 

 plant, and returned to its torpid state. When disturbed 

 and moistened, it was generally revived ; but although let- 

 tuces, primrose leaves, and at least twenty other plants of 

 various textures, were presented to it, it refused to eat, but 

 after drinking, would return to its winter-quarters upon the 

 edge of the pot or leaves of the plant. Each time it closed 

 its aperture it was observed to form a weaker membrane. 

 Tearing it would starve, a fresh supply of vegetables was 

 presented to it, and whilst it was drinking it was closely 

 watched, in the hope of seeing it eat also, when it was ob- 

 served to lick up the minute portions of wool that had 

 been deposited with the dust in a much-frequented room ; 

 this led to the idea of its being a carnivorous animal, and 

 a wounded worm was offered to it, the dead portion of which 



