224 Certain Terrestrial Pulmonata 



ularly watery and gelatinous and slirinks up as they die. "When they are 

 moving about, the foot loolvs very large and when I touched the creature 

 it could not or would not retreat into its shell. On this point, however, 

 I shall be able to give more accurate information when I can collect addi- 

 tional specimens." 



We ihid that the animals are completely retracted into 

 their shells and very much in the same manner as in Succiiiea^ 

 little more than the entire surface of the foot beino- alone 

 seen within the aperture, the edges of the peristome pro- 

 jecting slightly beyond it. While the sensitiveness of the 

 animal to touch may be slight, and its habit as described by 

 Dr. Branch, they cannot be said to be much larger than their 

 shells, as remarked by Salle of Xanthonyx, and described 

 by Fischer and Crosse, or as described by Dr. .Cooper of 

 Binneia. The specimens, for \yhich we are indebted to Dr. 

 Branch, must have been taken alive in the month of Decem- 

 ber, and very soon at least after death, before becoming dry, 

 put in the glycerine. 



It will be remembered that Guppy considers Omalonyx 

 and Brachyspira as groups or sections of AmphibuUma. In a 

 very recent letter he repeats his assurance that " the animals 

 of both AmphibuUma patula and pardaUna are very much 

 larger than the shells and quite iucapable of retraction into 

 them." His observation agrees, so far as it goes, with that of 

 Dr. Branch, who adds a remark as to the shrinking up of the 

 animals " as they die." This shrinking before death must 

 be accompanied by the exercise of contractile muscular force, 

 and probably further observation will prove that the animal, 

 while in possession of its full vital power, can and does with- 

 draw itself into the shell, and especially, perhaps, in seasons 

 of drought. 



The jaw of A. patula, of which we subjoin description, 

 has not the accessory plate characteristic of Succinea, and 

 which is found in Omalonyx and Brachyspira; while the 

 latter subgenera ;therefore belong to the Succinince, Amphi- 

 buUma must be associated with the Helicinoe. By the char- 

 acter of the ribs of the jaw, it is most nearly allied to the 



