THE NAT'TILUS. 51 



Never forward a lot of shells for examination, or in exchange, un- 

 less there be at least one mature specimen in good condition among 

 them — if you have au}' such, of course. This is again especially of 

 importance e. g. with Pupidte where the lamellae are of principal in- 

 terest. 



Never pack up small shells in a vial to be sent away unless you 

 secure them in place with some cotton ; the constant tossing and 

 jarring cannot but damage them more or less. 



Never pack a number of vials together in a box unless each one 

 is wrapped in paper. In several instances I have received vials 

 crushed to pieces and the contents scattered around. 



Never oil your shells so that they soil or stick to anything they 

 touch ! not to speak of their entirely altered appearance. Very 

 little oiling generally is needed — (by this I certainly do not mean 

 Pupa, Vertigo, etc. !) 



Never cork a vial containing living mollusca or such not thor- 

 oughly dried ; not only a very offensive odor will develop, but gen- 

 erally the shells will be altered in appearance, color and con- 

 sistency. 



A NEW VARIETY OF HELIX CARPENTERI FROM SOUTHERN 

 CALIFORNIA. 



BY DR. LORENZO G. YATES, F. L. S., SANTA BARBARA, CAL. 



The typical form of Helix (Arionta) Carpenteri, Newc. seems to 

 belong to the peninsula of Lower California, although heretofore 

 reported from " San Diego" and " Tulare Valley" California, and I 

 have specimens of a variety which I collected in Napa County many 

 years ago. 



I now have a variety from the desert region near Indio, San Ber- 

 nardino County, California, collected by Stephen Bowers, Ph. D. 



These specimens agree with Dr. Newcomb's original description 

 except in that, they do not show the " very minute spiral striations," 

 Avhich may however be consequent upon their dead and bleached 

 condition. 



They further differ in having an entire circular aperture instead 

 of" aperture circular, with terminations approximating " as described 

 by Newcomb. 



