cyclostomacea. 171 



in proof of which, it is related by the Eev. R. T. Lowe, 

 of Madeira, that a specimen was removed from the water, 

 together with several other aquatic mollusks, and put into 

 a dry box, where they remained undisturbed for at least five 

 weeks. On being taken out, and placed in a glass filled 

 with sea- water, the Truncatellce showed signs of life, and 

 soon crawled forth, but the other mollusks were quite dead. 



The genus Helicina includes many beautiful and new. 

 species, in addition to those described by Gray in his 

 'Zoological Journal/ They were conjectured, in past days, 

 to be- decidedly aquatic ; but D^Orbigny found several species 

 of this interesting famil}^, journeying through South America, 

 on open plains, as, also, upon the eastern side of the Andes, 

 though generally in damp places, at two thousand metres 

 above the level of the sea. St. Vincent, also, is one of 

 their favourite localities ; yet they scarcely, if ever, descend 

 below two thousand feet above the sea, while such as are 

 peculiar to Barbadoes abound in open and dry places. 



Ci/dostouue are abundant everywhere, and display con- 

 siderable variety and symmetry of convolution, as well as 

 the most attractive patterns of colouring. 



