AZOREAN GROUP. 27 



Helix azorica. 



Helix azorica, Alh., Mai. Bldtt. 30 (1852) 

 „ „ Pfeijf., Mon. Hel. iii. 148 (1853) 



„ „ Mouss.f Viert. der Nat. Zurich, 165 (1858) 



„ „ Pfelf., Mon. Hel. iv. 163 (1859) 



„ „ Morel., Hist. Nat. des Agor. 154, t. 2. f. 2 



(1860) 

 „ „ Drouet, Faun. A<^or. 151 (1861) 



Habitat Sta. Maria, et S. Miguel ; in montibus sub lapidibus, 

 necDon inter ramulos Ericce vulgaris et cset. latitans, baud 

 infrequens. 



The present variable Helix appears to be confined, according 

 to Morelet and Drouet, to the mountains of Sta. JNIaria and 

 S. Miguel, — where it occurs not only under stones but, in the 

 latter, amongst the shrubs of Erica vulgaris and Myrsine 

 retusa which clothe so much of the uncultivated country in 

 the loftier districts of the island. In the former it was met 

 with on the summit of the Pico Alto. 



Judging from their diagnoses and figures, I think there can 

 be little doubt that the present species and the four following 

 ones belong to the same group as the H. erubescens ; and, from 

 the analogy of the latter, which at the Madeiras has a more or 

 less different phasis for every detachment of the archipelago, 

 one cannot but feel it possible that some of these forms which 

 cluster around the H. azorica may prove in reality to be but 

 insular modifications of a single plastic type. Nevertheless 

 since it is the opinion of Morelet that they may be upheld as 

 specifically distinct, I will cite them in accordance with the 

 conclusions which have been arrived at by himself and M. 

 Drouet. 



The H. azorica appears to be exceedingly thin and fragile, 

 as well as somewhat shining and pellucid ; and, like the other 

 members of this particular section, it is wholly imperforate. 

 Its colour, as in the H. erubescens, is eminently inconstant, 

 though the more normal individuals seem to be brownish but 

 mottled with small disjointed (sometimes vermiculiform) mark- 

 ings of a paler or yellowish hue. Occasionally however the 

 latter are obsolete, when the shell is concolorous ; and the 

 specimens from Sta. Maria (which are smaller, and a trifle less 



and which were received as such (without evidence) by Webb. Indeed the 

 H. cyclodon, W. et B., was declared by Terver (in his total ignorance of its 

 actual Jiabitat) to be ?iot only Canarian, but also from the Cape Verdes, the 

 Madeiras, and the Azores, — a statement which was at once accepted by Webb, 

 and even by PfeiiSer ; whereas in real fact it has not been detected, as yet, in 

 any of those Groups, eiicept jwssib I y the Canaries (for it is by no means abso- 

 lutely certain that it was found even there). 



