178 HELICID^. 



and Wales where the Romans built cities or had im- 

 portant military stations ; and in all probability this 

 kind of snail was not known to them, as another species 

 [H. lucorum) takes its place in Central Italy. There is 

 no better reason for the rumour which is mentioned by 

 Montagu, that it was imported from Italy about the 

 middle of the 16th century, either as an article of food 

 or for medicinal purposes^ and turned out in SmTcy by 

 a Mr. Howard at Albury. It was well known to Lister, 

 who wrote in 1678, as the largest of our native snails ; 

 and in all probability it is equally indigenous with H. 

 aspersa or the common garden-snail. Neither of these 

 species has been found in any recognized stratum of the 

 upper tertiary formation in this country. The foreign 

 distribution of H. pomatia extends from Finland (Nor- 

 denskiold and Nylander) to Lombardy (Villa) ; but it does 

 not appear to have been found in the South of France. 



This large snail makes a common and rather a 

 favourite dish in the North of France and some parts of 

 Switzerland ; and Lister gave a recipe for dressing and 

 cooking it in this country. It is furnished with a 

 peculiar mouth-piece, by means of which it effectually 

 keeps out the cold and wet while it is hibernating. 

 This covering is not like an operculum, forming part of 

 the animal, but consists of a solid, calcareous and slightly 

 convex plate, which exactly fits the aperture of the shell. 

 It is secreted and formed by the mantle ; and after it 

 has served the purpose for which it was made it is thrust 

 aside, and may be found lying on the ground on the 

 return of spring and genial weather. The snail repairs 

 its shell, when broken, in a more substantial manner than 

 other kinds, on account of the superabundance of its 

 calcareous secretion ; and it can for that purpose with- 

 draw its mantle far into the interior of the spire, so as to 



