380 



Shell Life 



it is attended with some difficulty. It is very local, 

 and does not appear to have been recorded for Wales, 

 Scotland, or Ireland. 



The Amber Snails represent the family Sitccineidce, 

 and comprise four native species. The animals are of 



a gelatinous consistency, 

 and are usually a little 

 too big for their shells. 

 There are four tentacles, 

 but the lower pair are 

 very short (in some 

 species wanting). The 

 foot is large and oblong. 

 The characters of the 

 radula are shown in the figure below of the median 

 and lateral teeth. A complete row consists of 65 

 teeth, and there are 50 rows, or 3250 in all. The shell 

 is very thin, containing little mineral matter, amber 

 coloured, with a short dextral spire, a large body-whorl 

 and mouth. They frequent the margins of lakes, 

 ponds, and ditches, feeding upon the vegetation, and 

 capable of enduring temporary submersion, which is 



of teeth of radula of Succiiica 2)Utris 



probably often of a voluntary character. They may 

 sometimes be seen floatino^ on the surface, shell down- 

 wards after the manner of Liminoia and Physa. 



The Large Amber Snail (Sttccinea 2>^^^^"^s) has a 

 semi-transparent oval shell of three or four whorls, 

 the last being equal to four-fifths of the whole shell, 



