ON COLLECTING SHELLS. 137 



The folio-wing are examples of tlie elevations at wliicli land- 

 snails have been found, (pp. 289, 294.) 



Helix pomatia, 5,000 feet— Alps. (Jeffreys.) 



„ rupestris, 1,200—5,000 ft. 

 „ bursateUa, Gould, 2,000—5,000 ft. Taheiti. 

 Bulimus vibex, 7,000 ft. India. (Benson.) j 



,, nivicola and oraatus, 14,000 ft. „ 



Lamarckianus, 8,000 ft. New Granada. 

 Achatina latebricola, 4—7,000 ft. Landour. 

 Pupa Halleriana, 1,200—2,500 ft. Alps. 



„ tantilla, 2,000 ft. Taheiti. 

 Clausilia Idoea, 5,500 ft. Mt. Ida. 

 Vitrina glaci;ilis, Forbes, 8,000 ft. Monte Kosa. 



„ annularis, 2,000— 3,000 ft. Burgos. (M' Andrew.) 

 „ Teneriffse, 2,000-6,210 ft. Madeira. 

 Helicina occidentalis, Guilding, 2,000 ft. St. Vincent's. 

 (Limnsea Hookeri, 18,000 ft. Thibet.) 



The land- snails of warm and dry regions remain dormant for 

 long periods (p. 14), and require no attention for many months 

 after being collected.* 



Freshwater shells are collected with an insect net or *' landing 

 net " of strength suited to the work of raising masses of weed. 

 The strongly rooted flags and rushes may be pulled up with a 

 boat-hook; and Cyclades, as well as univalves, maybe obtained 

 by shaking aquatic plants over the net. For getting up the 

 pearl mussels, the most efficient instrument is a tin bowl, per- 

 forated like a sieve, and fitted on the end of a staff, or jointed 

 rod. (Pickering.) 



In some situations the fresh-water shells are all much eroded 

 (p. 33,), or coated with a ferruginous deposit. It may be 

 desirable to find out the localities where the specimens are 

 in best condition before collecting extensively. The opercula 

 should always be preserved with the shells to which they 

 belong ; those of the Cyclostomidcs and MelaniadcB are particu- 

 larly interesting. 



The AuriculidcB are especially met with in damp places by the 

 sea ; in mangrove -swamps, and creeks and river-banks where 

 the water becomes brackish. Amphihola and Assiminea are 

 found in salt-marshes, Siphonaria and Peronia on the shore, 

 between tide -marks. 



Collecting Sea- shells. — The following remarks are from the pen 



• Land and fresh-water snails may be kiUed instantaneously with boiling water, if a 

 few are done at a time ; and cooled by removal to cold water. Every collector finds 

 expedients for removing the animals more or less completely from their shells ; those 

 which, like Clausilia, retire beyond the reach of a bent pin may be dro%\-ned in tepid 

 water. 



