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I 
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 185 
Secondaries, two-thirds pale yellowish red, the mesial band narrower than 
- on the upper side. 
Expanse of wings, 3.30 inch. 
Locality, San-Diego, Cal. Mrs. Jas. Behrens. 
The upper wings of this beautiful species recall the shade of the Euro- 
pean C. Fraxini, but they are still paler in color, and with the lines even 
more distinctly marked. Its nearest ally is C. Luciana, Hy. Edw., from Col- 
orado, but it differs from that species by its paler gray color, by the reniform 
and sub-reniform being whitish instead of black, by the lines being more 
deeply and regularly toothed, and by the extreme distinctness of the sub- 
terminal line. The color of the secondaries have also a more rosy tint than 
those of Luciana. : 
For this interesting addition to our insect fauna, we are indebted to Mrs. 
James Behrens, who has frequently added great rarities to her husband’s col- 
lection, and to whom, through the medium of her given name, I have great 
delight in dedicating it. Mrs. Behrens took two specimens of this charming 
insect in August last, in the neighborhood of San Diego. 
Mr. Stearns read the following paper: 
On the Vitality of Certain Land Mollusks. 
BY ROBT. E. C. STEARNS. 
I submit for the inspection of the Academy a living specimen of Bulimus 
pallidior, Sby., one of nine given to me by Prof. Geo. Davidson, who collected 
them at San José del Cabo, Lower California, in March, 1873. 
These snails were kept in a box undisturbed until June 23d, 1875, when I 
took them out, and, after examination, placed them in a glass jar with some 
chick-weed and other tender vegetable food, anda small quantity of tepid 
water, so as to make a warm humid atmosphere. This hospitable treatment 
induced them to wake up and move about after their long fast and sleep of 
two years, two months and sixteen days. Subsequently all died but this, which 
seems to be in pretty good health, though not very active. 
It may be remembered that I mentioned before the Academy at a meeting 
in March, 1867, an instance of vitality in a snail (Helix Veatchiz) from Cerros 
Island, even more remarkable, the latter having lived without food from 1859, 
the year when it was collected, to March, 1865, a period of six years. 
The famous specimen in the British Museum which is cited in the books, 
Helix desertorum, had lived within a few days of four years, fastened to a tab- 
let in one of the cases, when discovered to be alive. 
Helix desertorum, as the specific name implies, is found in arid and sterile 
areas, in the continents of Africa and Asia, and has, as will be perceived, a 
wide distribution. From the former continent, I have specimens from Egypt, 
and it also ranges through Arabia in the latter. 
The Bulimus from the main-land of the peninsula of Lower California, and 
Proc. Can. AcaD. Scor., Vou. VI.—13. 
