Mr. L. Reeve on the Geographical Distribution of the Bulimi. 245 



sea which washes the shores of Patagonia is peopled with a fauna 

 of more tropical character than the land, owing to the warmth 

 of the great equatorial current, which flows southward along 

 the eastern coast of South America, and caiises a bend in the 

 system of isothermal lines laid down by Humboldt of nearly 

 ten degrees. A fine large richly painted Volute, V. Magellanica, 

 in common use among the Patagonians as a drinking-cup, in- 

 habits their shore abundantly. Yet the northern limit of this 

 genus does not approach the Mediterranean nor any part of 

 Europe. It is right however to add, that a species of Cymba, 

 to which genus V. Magellanica is the nearest allied form of 

 Volute, has been veiy recently dredged oflF Lisbon by Mr. 

 M^Andrew. 



3. The Chilian Province. 



Crossing to the west side of the American continent and re- 

 turning northward, we are impressed with the marked difference 

 between those on the west and those on the east side of the 

 mountain chain of the Andes. In the sandy plains of Chili, 

 where there is little moisture beyond that arising from the dews, 

 the Bulimi, about thirty-five in number, are mostly small, with 

 thin, often transparent shells, having little of colour or marking. 

 Towards the mountains at the roots of shrubs, on dead trunks of 

 trees or under Cacti, are several species distributed somewhat 

 miscellaneously in respect of form, as B. granulosus, erythrostoma, 

 Pupiformis, &c. Near the sea-shore they assume a more distinct 

 typical character, of which the shell, Succinea-Yike., is widely in- 

 flated, and owing to the dry calcareous nature of the soil and 

 absence of vegetation is extremely thin, brittle, and simply dark- 

 speckled. The B. Broderipii, punctulifer, rupicolus, and reflexus 

 are characteristic examples. Surrounded with few of the condi- 

 tions which serve for the formation of shell, the calcifying func- 

 tions of this group are but feebly exercised. They exist for many- 

 months together in the crevices of rocks in a state of torpidity, 

 and are only roused during the excessive dews. "Wait till the 

 dews come," said a Chilian to Mr. Cuming, " and they will all 

 come to life again." 



In the warmer, but still comparatively rainless district of Peru, 

 the Bulimi have more brightly-coloured shells, with more variety 

 of pattern. They are about as numerous in species as those of 

 Chili, under as many types. In the more arid parts of Peru, 

 upon the mountains, the shell is thin, as in B. varians, tigris, 

 lenmiscatus, and tumidulus, compared with those inhabiting more 

 woody districts on the eastern side of the Andes. They have, 

 moreover, a colder aspect than those of the same latitude in Brazd, 

 on account of the more scanty nature of the vegetation, the lesser 



