OK" COLIECTING shi:lls. 137 



The following are examples of the elevations at which land- 

 Bnails hare been found, (pp. 289, 294.) 



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

 „ rnpestris, 1,200—5,000 ft. 

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

 Biilimus vibex, 7,000 ft. India. (Benson.) 



„ nivicola and omatus, 14,000 ft. „ 



„ Lamarckianus, 8,000 ft. New Granada. 

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

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



„ tantiUa, 2,000 ft. Taheiti. 

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

 Vitrina glacialis, Forbes, 8,000 ft. Monte Eosa. 



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



„ Teneriffae, 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 Ci/dades, as well as univalves, maybe obtained 

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

 pearl mussels, the most efl&cient 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 bo j^reserved with the shells to which they 

 belong ; those of the Cydostomidce and Melaniadce are particu- 

 larly interesting. 



The AuriadidcB are especially met with in damj) 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 lulled instantaneously with boiling water, if a 

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

 expedients for removing the animals more or less completely from their shells ; tlio&e 

 which, like Clausilia, retiie beyond the reach of a bent pin may be drowned in tepid 

 water. 



