^44 POPULAR BRITISH CONCHOLOGY. 



it immediately nibbled^ but did not eat much ; a portion of 

 roast mutton appeared to be most palatable^ for, after eat- 

 ing a small part, it retired and closed its sliell as usual. In 

 a week this now partly domesticated snail was again aroused 

 from its torpor by water, and it fed heartily upon a portion 

 of the mutton that had been allowed to dry, and was sodden 

 with the water. This operation has been repeated at inter- 

 vals of about a week, and the animal has evidently gained 

 strength ; if roused at shorter intervals it refused to eat. 



'^ Should the carnivorous appetite of this species of Helix 

 be verified by observations in the summer and open air, it 

 will lead to important considerations respecting the food of 

 the inhabitants, not only of recent but also of fossil shells ; 

 for we know of no difference between the structure of this 

 animal and that of H. aspersa or pomatia, which undoubt- 

 edly feed upon leaves. It will also show the necessity of 

 our becoming well acquainted with the habits of what are 

 considered noxious animals, before we destroy them.^^ 

 K. piscina has a flattish shell, with serrated linear bands of 

 brown or grey. That of K. virgata is still flatter, and 

 has the wliorls narrower and an umbilicus behind them. 

 This shell is banded generally with a row of little streaks 

 in the middle, a large band at the upper, and several 



