From the Proceeciings of the California Academy of Sciences, Octo1)er 18th. IHTo. 



On the Vitality of Certain Land Mollusks. 



BY KOBT. E. C. STEARNS. 



I submit for the inspection of the Academy a living specimen of Bu'iinus 

 paVidior, Shy., one of nine given to me by Prof. Geo. Davidson, who collected 

 them at San Jose del Cabo, Lower California, in March, 1873. 



These snails were kept, in a box undisturbed until Jane 23d, 1875, when I 

 took them out, and, after examination, placed Ihem in a gla^s jar with some 

 chick-weed and other tender vegetable food, and a small quantity of tepid 

 vi^ater, so as to make a warm humid atmosphere. This hospitable treatment 

 induced them to wake up and move about aftt-r their long fast and sleep of 

 two years, two months and sixteen days. Subsequently all died but this, which 

 seems to be in pretty good health, though not very active. 



It may be remembered that I mentioned before the Academy at a meeting 

 in March, 1867, an instance of vitality in a snail {Helix Vealchii) from Cerros 

 Island, even more remarkable, the latter having lived without food from 1859, 

 the year when it was collected, to March, 1865, a period of six years. 



The famous specimen in the British Museum which is cited in the books, 

 Helix desertoriim, had lived within a few days of four years, fastened to a tab- 

 let in one of the cases, when discovered to be alive. 



Helix desertoriim, as the specific name implies, is found in arid and sterile 

 areas, in the continents of Africa and Asia, and has, as will be perceived, a 

 wide distribution. From the former continent, I have specimens from Egypt, 

 and it also ranges through Arabia in the latter. 



The BuUmus from the main-land of the peninsula of Lower California, and 

 Helix Veatchii from Cerros or Cedros Island, off the coast on the ocean side 

 of the same, come from within the same physical environment, being com- 

 paratively a limited distance apart. 



The Helix belongs to an interesting and peculiar group, probably varit^ties 

 of one species, which includes, at present, the following names: (1) He'ixareo- 

 lata, Sby., (2) H. Veitdvi, Newc, (3) H. pandora, Fbs., and (4) H. lev's, Pfr. 

 Other forms geographically approximate may hereafter, on further investiga- 

 tion, be referred to the same lineage. 



Of the above, {!) H. areolala was the first described, or I should say that this 

 appears by the date to be the first name bestowed upon any member of the 

 group. This species has been quoted from Oregon, and (4) //. levis, from the 

 Columbia Kiver, in both cases erroneously. The figures in " Land and Fresh 

 Water Shells of North America,"* p. 177, are too elevated and globose for 

 the typical areolata, but the larger figures faithfully represent H. Veatchii. 

 Elevation and rotundity are insular characteristics in this group, and areolata 

 is comparatively depressed. It is found in considerable numbers on the up- 

 lands around Magdalena Bay, which is on the outer or ocean shore of the 

 peninsula, in latitude about 24° 40' N. 



* Smithsonian Misc. Coll., No. 191. 



