Mr Logan on the Habits of Testaceous MoUusca. 49 



lusca of theseclimates, my observations might have ceased here, 

 had there not been foimd in the same places, viz. in the holes of 

 rocks and trees, and under loose stones, amongst those indivi- 

 duals, provided with an operculum, and in a dormant condition, 

 one or two others without an operculum, and seemingly in a 

 state of activity. This was on the week before Christmas, the 

 warmest season of the year on this coast ; and it being doubtful 

 to me whether these last-mentioned kinds had not just come into 

 a hiding place for the pm'pose of hibernating like those beside 

 them, — or whether there could be any particular season of the 

 year which might be the cause of this disposition to a change 

 of state, I was induced to make inquiry of some of the natives, 

 many of whom can speak a little English, as to wiiere the ani- 

 mals could be seen feeding. One man made me understand 

 that they never came out of their hiding-places till after sun- 

 set, and that they could only be seen by carrying a light. Ac- 

 cordingly, at night a lantern was procured, and the person al- 

 luded to engaged as a guide. After a short search my guide 

 said, "me tink om lib here," pointingat the same time to two small 

 shining bodies, diverging from each other until their two ex- 

 tremities at the summit were about two and a half inches 

 apart, and at the lower ends apparently not more than half an 

 inch. Each seemed about the thickness of a small quill, and 

 their power of reflecting the light was so great, that they had 

 exactly the appearance of two small polished bars of silver. 

 These were the two long tentacula of the animal, and, but for 

 them, we might have sought in vain. The animals were 

 found feeding on the tender shoots and leaves of luxuriant 

 plants, generally near the roots of decayed trees, or at the 

 bottom of .shady rocks, where vegetation acquires additional 

 vigour, and where the animal also finds an easy retreat in the 

 day time. After having collected a sufficient number in all 

 their different stages of growth, and made a comparison of their 

 different sizes, I found that, to complete one of the largest, 

 required six new growths or augmentations ; and on examining 

 such as were operculated and in a dormant state, the same 

 number of augmentations could easily be perceived. I like- 

 wise found them operculated and torpid in all the six different 

 stages of advancement, with tlie tii> of the .shell always firm 



VOL, XXVIII. XO. J,V. JANUARY 1840. D 



