Quarterly Jo urn a! of Conc/iology. 265 



HELIX LAAfELLATA, Jeffreys. 

 By Richard Rimmer. 



When on a visit in Kirkcudbriglitshire last August, I found 

 this species plentifully upon fallen and decayed leaves of tlie 

 holly in woods. 



Dr. Gwyn Jeffreys has already described the animal at 

 p. 158, vol. 4 of " British Conchology," but a few additional parti- 

 culars respecting it may perhaps be of interest to your readers, 

 the more so as several of the specimens I collected are still alive, 

 and afford me daily opportunities of observing their habits. 



A large proportion of the specimens found in the above- 

 named locality were subject to erosion of the epidermis, especi- 

 ally near the apex. 



AxniAL. — Ilc'iui and body yellov/ish-white ; back, slaty-grey, 

 v/ith a yellowish-vrhite line running dov,-n the middle ; tentacles, 

 upper pair clavate and long for the size of the animal, of a dark 

 bluish colour, bulbs inky black, globular : lower pair much lighter 

 in colour, tips whitish ; foot whitish, rather narrow, tapering to a 

 fine but slightly obtuse point behind. 



The animal is very timid, and shrinks from exposure to sun- 

 shine, or even ordinary daylight. When crawling its movement 

 is unusually rapid for a snail, and it carries its shell in an upriglit 

 position, swaying it from side to side as it advances, reminding 

 one of the waddling of a duck. 



When desirous of observing it under the microscope I found 

 that the only way to induce it to leave its shell was to place it on 

 a damp leaf, and allow a strong ray of sunlight to rest upon it, 

 when it would soon emerge and start off in quest of shelter. 



I have, as yet, been unable to detect this little creature in 

 the act of feeding, "\\hich is, probably, for the most part performed 

 at night. That its food principally consists of decayed holly 



