Shells of Common Occurrence, 147 



the Helices now disposed of so far as we have got 

 them in our budget. Our greatest regret is the 

 absence of H. pomatia, the largest of the British 

 land shells^ the favourite shell food of the Romans, 

 still eaten in many parts of modern Europe. 



The Bidimus ohscuriiSj dull or dusky twist shell, 

 is considered to derive its first or generic name 

 from a Greek term signifying insatiable hunger 

 (l3ovXi[ji.os) , and its specific from the Latin^ indica- 

 tive of its colour (dusky or dull), for scientific 

 jargon is generally macaronic, and by no means 

 minds a Babel of languages. The shell is not 

 large, being generally under half an inch in length 

 and a couple of lines in breadth. It is unpolished 

 in appearance ; and though the animal within bears 

 a resemblance to the Helices, or snails, the shell 

 without tapers much more considerably, and in 

 crawling the creature carries its shelter balanced 

 on its back, directed a little to the right, at an 

 angle of 50°, or drags it along the ground, and 

 holds it when at rest at an angle of 45°. It is 

 found in woods and under mossy trees, on walls and 

 under stones. It crawls with speed, as if to justify 

 the imputation of being very devouring, and of 

 getting rapidly through its fortune. It is by no 

 means rare in England. Macgillivray and Duncan 



