12 TESTACELLIDA. 
means the rings are forced open, its purpose is effected and the 
meal secured. 
“Although it also feeds on slugs and snails, and even on its 
own species (the shells of which have been found in its stomach}, 
it will not eat dead animals, and even refuses pieces of a fresh 
worm which has been chopped up to feed it. It only sallies out 
at night in search of its prey, burying itself deep in the ground 
during the daytime. After having gorged itself with a worm, 
it rests many hours in a half-torpid state until the meal has been 
digested; and it can remain fasting a long time (as much as 
fourteen or fifteen nights), until hunger compels it to make a 
fresh hunt. It does not fear the cold, or appear to suffer any 
inconvenience from it except when the ground is hardened by 
frost; and in this respect it resembles the slugs, the Vitrinee, 
and some of the Zonites, some of which are nearly as carnivorous 
and hardy as the Testacella. The average length of life in the 
Testacellze appears to be five or six years. Their smell is like 
that of worms, only more nauseous. They chiefly frequent 
gardens, where they are sure of finding their proper food; but 
they may occasionally be met with in woods near inhabited 
places, as well as at the foot of old walls. In winter they bury 
themselves very deep in the ground; and my gardener once 
brought me living specimens of 7. Maugei which he had dug up 
in trenching some celery-roots at a depth of about two feet. 
The eggs are laid separately and are very large in proportion to 
the size of the body. These somewhat resemble hens’ eggs both 
in shape and consistency, and are covered with a rather thick 
and tough skin. If they are taken out of the earth and exposed 
to a cold air , they fr equently crack and burst in pieces which fly 
off to some little distance.” —Jeffreys’ Brit. Conchology. 
During winter and dry weather the Testacella forms a sort of 
cocoon in the ground by the exudation of its mucus. If this cell 
is broken, the animal may be seen completely shrouded in its 
thin opaque white mantle, which rapidly contracts until it extends 
but a little way beyond the margin of the shell. It was intro- 
duced into Great Britain, where it is becoming common. 
DavupesBarpiA, Hartmann, 1821. 
Etym.—Dedicated to Daudebard de Ferussac, a celebrated 
French conchologist. Syn.—Helicophanta, Fer., 1822. 
Distr.—13 sp. Central and eastern Europe, Algiers, New 
Zealand. WD. Gaillardotit, Bourg. (ci, 45, 46). Syria. 
Animal limaciform, subcylindrical, tapering anteriorly ; ten- 
tacles simple; mantle small, posterior, quite near the tail, covered 
with a small, external shell; longitudinal furrows above the 
margin of the foot; usually no caudal mucous pore; external 
respiratory and anal orifice at the posterior right margin of 
