HELIX HORTENSIS. 331 
Habits and Habitats.—//eliv hortensis is described as a somewhat 
indolent yet moderately sensitive animal, carrying its shell obliquely upright 
when crawling. It is less nocturnal in habit than its congener, though said 
by Nagel to be keenly skioptic or responsive to shade, and does not conceal 
itself so deeply and carefully during the day. 
Though occasionally found occupying a common feeding-ground with 
H. nemoralis, it usually congregates in colonies unmixed with its ally, as 
it frequents moister and shadier localities and is more sensitive to drought 
than HZ. nemoralis, which seems to prefer drier and more open situations. 
A luxuriant damp and shady hedgerow is a favourite resort of //. hortensis, 
though it is also found in open woods, in gardens, in plantations and 
orchards, on old walls, and by road-sides. Like /Z. nemoralis, it seems 
most plentiful on limestone soils, but is by no means confined to them, as 
it may be found plentifully on sand-stone, trap, and other formations. 
In Scotland, beyond the range and competition of //. nemoralis, the 
present species is very common on the pastures along the coast, especially 
among the sandhills, or in the shelter of the furze on the grassy slopes 
of the cliffs, localities which in England are usurped by //. nemoralis. 
It is at times quite arboreal in its habits, especially in springtime and 
autumn, and has been known to ascend the beech and ash trees to a 
height of twenty or thirty feet, or climb to and cling persistently to the 
topmost twigs in a hedgerow, even during prolonged drought. 
The heart’s action fluctuates according to the temperature, but is also 
influenced by age and activity. Ata temperature of 62° the heart of a 
specimen examined by Mr. Watson pulsated about forty-nine times per 
The vertical lines connect the corresponding points of temperature and pulse rate. 
53 leh 
o_— r= 
os = 8 
Se aa} 
ie 2 
7S are 
a2 o. 
oles et 
==) 
5 ae 
os 5 93 
aS ee 
‘ainulu aed 
suonesind jo saquinyy 
Number of pulsations 
per minute 
‘The vertical lines connect the corresponding points of temperature and pulse rate. 
Fic. 390.—Diagram of the pulsations of the heart of //edix hortensis, illustrating the correlation 
of its activity with the changes of temperature. 
minute, but the rapidity was increased to ninety-two per minute when 
placed upon the palm of the hand. ‘I'he heart of an immature specimen 
at a temperature of 70° contracted ninety times per minute, while at a 
little below the freezing-point the pulsations are scarcely perceptible and 
not more than one or two per minute. 
Like Helix nemoralis, the present species hibernates solitarily, in the 
crevices of walls and hollow places in trees, but very often among dead leaves 
or rubbish, burying its shell in the earth, spire downwards, and the mouth, 
