SUCCINEA. 151 



although he had also observed that an Indian species of 

 Succinea frequented dry places where no water ever 

 lodged. Miiller says, however, that they are no more 

 amphibious than Helix nemoralis, a variety of which he 

 had seen living many days in a brook. Although the 

 Succinea inhabit the banks of lakes and marshy places, 

 and may even, after a flood of heavy or continued rain, 

 be seen under water, I have noticed that they do not 

 like remaining in it, but crawl out on comparatively 

 dry land, or climb up the stalks of aquatic plants and 

 willows. When they are under water they draw in their 

 tentacles. They can float on the water in a reversed 

 position ; and in dry weather they withdraw themselves 

 far into the shell, covering up the mouth with a mem- 

 branous epiphragm like the Planorbis spirorbis, var. leu- 

 costoma. They are vegetable feeders. Their eggs are 

 agglutinated together and deposited on the stalks and 

 leaves of aquatic plants, as well as upon stones at the 

 water^s edge. Succinea are found in all parts of the 

 world ; and the extent of their variation is equally great. 

 Their shells may be distinguished from those of Limncea 

 by the absence of any fold on the columella or pillar. 



Helix 

 P 



1. Succinea pu'tris ■^, Linne. 



ix puti'is, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. xii. p. 1249. S. putris, F. & H. 

 . 132, pi. cxxxi. f. 4, 5. 



Body rather thick, reddish-yeUow, closely covered with 

 small, flat and irregularly-shaped tubercles : tentacles short ; 

 upper pair not much swollen at their tips, and marked wdth 

 minute and indistinct black specks : snout, or tront of the head, 

 large and very tumid : foot broad, nearly truncate in front, 

 triangular and slightly pointed behind. 



Shell oval, very thin, semitransparent, glossy, of an amber- 



* Frequenting putridity. 



