out from another portion of the same Haliotis, he beUeved it to 

 belong to the species recently described by Mr. Tryon, viz : Navea 

 JVeweombii. 



[From Proceedings Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. December 3d, 1866.] 



Mr. Stearns exhibited specimens of Petricola carditoides and 

 Pholadidea ovoidea, in unusually hard serpentine, collected by him- 

 self at Fort Point, San Francisco. 



[From Froceedings Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci. March 4th, 1867.] 



Mr. Stearns read the following communication, prefacing it with 

 some remarks on the hibernation and ?estivation of land shells : 



Remarkable Instance of Vitality in a Snail. 



In that invaluable work to the conchological student, entitled " Recent and 

 Fossil Shells," by S. P. Woodward, pp. 18 and 19, reference is made to certain 

 genera and species of land shells, and several instances are cited proving the 

 remarkable vitality of these comparatively insignificant animals, and their abili- 

 ty to exist for great lengths of time without food. 



Particular mention is made of a specimen of the snail Helix desertorum, 

 which was affixed to a tablet in the British Museum. March 25th, 1846, and 

 upon the 7th of March, 1850, it was observed that the animal must have come 

 out of the shell, as the paper was discolored in the attempt to getaway, but find- 

 ing escape impossible, it had withdrawn inside of the shell and closed the aper- 

 ture with the usual glistening film, which led to its immersion in tepid water 

 and marvelous recovery. It will be noticed that this period embraced nearly 

 four years. 



A more remarkable case has come under my observation, which is worthy of 

 mention. 



Dr. Veatch, a member of this Academy, visited Cerros or Cedros Island, 

 opposite the west coast of Lower California, and upon his return, in the year 

 1859, brought home, among other shells, a species of Helix, supposed to be 

 new, described by Dr. Newcomb, of Oakland, and to which the latter gave the 

 name of Helix Veatchii ; many specimens of this species were obtained, and 

 some of them were given by Dr. Veatch to the late Thomas Bridges. Mr. 

 Bridges died in September, 1865, and in December of the same year a portion 

 of his collection passed into my hands, including the same specimens of Helix 

 VeiAcliii to which I have before alluded. Judge of my surprise, when one day, 

 upon a careful examination, I detected a living specimen, which, after being 

 placed in a box of moist earth, in a short time commenced crawling about, 



