270 HELIX ASPERSA. 
Along the Mediterranean littoral, where it is in competition with a 
comparatively weaker fauna, it has spread rapidly, is very common, and 
grows toa large size; Greece, Algeria, Spain, certain parts of Southern 
France and Palestine being especially noted for the immense shells found 
in those countries. 
It is a species almost unknown east of the Rhine, being practically 
absent from Germany, Denmark, Scandinavia, and Northern Russia, and 
only occasionally recorded as picked up in or near isolated gardens. 
In the British Isles it is diffused throughout England, Ireland and 
Wales, but in Scotland is not known from the extreme north or from the 
Orkneys and Shetlands, though inhabiting the Hebrides. 
It is exceedingly plentiful and almost ubiquitous in the south, becoming 
scarcer and more local towards the north, and on the mainland attaining 
the limits of its northern range in the county of Elgin, its further extension 
being apparently retarded by the line of the Caledonian Canal, beyond 
which it has as yet only been found at Ardtornish Castle, Argyllshire. 
Being one of our most highly organized and dominant species, it is not 
surprising to find that almost wherever introduced it has maintained its 
footing and increased in numbers to the detriment of the weaker native 
species with which it may come in competition. 
Thus, it is now found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, where 
it is rapidly becoming plentiful. In numerous localities in North, South, 
and Central America it is also firmly established, and is also found in Cape 
Colony, St. Helena, Mauritius, Seychelles, Haiti, and numerous other 
places. 
TERMANY. 
This species has seareely yet naturally extended its range into the country, 
excepting possibly Alsace and Baden, but has been artificially introduced into 
several districts. 
Sorcherding cites it as an introduced species in the gardens of North-west 
Germany between the Ems and the Elbe; and Dr. Pfeiffer ascribes the specimens 
living in the castle gardens at Merseburg to a similar origin. 
In Lorraine, the specimens found in the botanical garden at Metz are regarded 
by Puton as descendants from those imported from Dauphiny for the snailery 
established by the Carthusian monks at Metz; it has also been reported from 
Strasburg, but the record has been regarded as erroneous, or referring to artificially 
introduced examples. 
In Alsace, it is recorded by Puton from Hagenau on the banks of the Rhine; 
Morlet has found specimens by the Rhine and near Colmar; and Gysser reports 
it from Baden at Meersburg on Lake Constance. 
FRANCE. 
Diffused over a great part of the country, apparently more particularly affecting 
the coast departments, and judging by the great dearth of records it is apparently 
rare or absent from the interior of the country. 
It has been recorded from Ain, Aisne, Alpes Maritimes, Aquitaine, Ariége, 
Ardeche, Ardennes, Aube, Aude, Auvergne, Basses Alpes, basses Pyrénées, 
Zouches du Rhone, Calvados, Cantal, Champagne Meridionale, Charente, Charente 
Inférienre, Cote d’Or, Cotes du Nord, Creuze, Deux Sevres, Dordogne, Doubs, 
Drome, Eure, Finistére, Gard, Gers, Gironde, Haute Garonne, Haute Marne, 
Hautes Pyrénées, Haute Savoie, Hérault, Ille-et-Vilaine, Isere, Jura, Landes, 
Loire Inférieure, Lot-et-Garonne, Lozére, Maine-et-Loire, Manche, Meurthe et 
Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Morbihan, Niévre, Nord, Oise, Orne, Pas-de-Calais, 
Pyrénées Orientales, Rhéne, Sadne-et-Loire, Sarthe, Savoy, Seine, Seine Inférieure, 
Seine-et-Marne, Seine-et-Oise, Somme, Var, Vaucluse, Vendée, Vienne, Yonne, 
and Isle of Corsica, 
