N^orth American HelicidcB. 85 



Helix septeaiivolva Say. 



Tliis species was described by Say in Nicholson's Enc. in 

 1816,* and the description was republished in the Journal of the 

 Philadelphia Academy in May 1818 ; it is as follows : — 



"P. SEPTEMVOLVA. — Shell much depressed, discoidal ; spire not 

 prominent; whorls seven, perfectly lateral, compressed, depressed, and 

 marked with conspicuous lines and grooves above, a projecting carina 

 on the upper edge of the body whorl, beneath which the lines and 

 grooves are obsolete ; aperture subrenifonn, not contracted ; lips equal 

 elevated, outer one reflected, regularly rounded so as to describe two- 

 thirds of a circle; pillar lip projecting inwards, into an angle or tooth, 

 which is concave beneath ; beneath the four exterior volutions equally 

 prominent, transverse diameters equal to those of the upper surface ; 

 umbilicus central, moderate, attenuated to the apex so as to exhibit the 

 remaining volutions. 



Breadth, female, two-fifths — male, three-tenths of an inch. Inhabits 

 Georgia and East Florida. Cabinet of the Academy. A very common 

 shell in many parts of Georgia, particularly the sea islands, also in East 

 Florida. AVe found them numerous under the ruins of old Fort Picolata 

 on the St. John River, and on the Oyster-shell Hammocks, near the 

 sea, and in other situations under decaying palmetto logs, roots, &c." 



This is a very variable shell, and the species of the group to 

 which it belongs, inhabiting the Southern States and adjacent 

 Islands and Keys, as well as the Bahama and Bermuda Islands, 

 have not been accurately defined and determined. 



Say, it may be inferred, considered all tlie individuals which 

 came under his notice from the United States as belonging to 

 septemvolva. He sent specimens to Ferussac, and was informed, 

 by letter in reply dated I5th July, 1820, that the species had 

 been figured and described in 1816, by Megerle de Muhlfeldt 

 in the Berlin Magazine, under the name of JI. cereolus. 



* Mr. Binney mentions in the Preface to the reprint of Say's writings on the 

 Conchology of the United States, that he had not been able to find the first edition 

 of this work, but gives its date 1816, on the authority of Ferussac, Mag. de ZooL 

 1835. 



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