brane. Thus in some species of our com- while numerous in species, are not as 



mon snails there are seventy-one teeth in conspicuous in color-pattern as those of 



a single row, and the whole radula is Europe, South America or the islands of 



made up of a hundred rows of teeth, mak- the Indian and Pacific Oceans, although 



ing a grand total of seventy-one hundred California produces some highly- colored 



teeth in the mouth of a single snail ! species, as will be seen by consulting the 



Land snails are found almost every- figure of Helix fidelis, on our plate. The 



where, in valleys, high up on mountains, majority of our species are uncolored, 



and even in deserts. They may be found like the figure of Polygyra albolabris. 



in the cold climate of Alaska or in the One of the largest and most interesting 



tropical zone under the equator. As a of American shells is the Bulimus, found 



rule, they prefer moist localities, where in South America. The shell of Bulimus 



there is an abundance of vegetation and ovatus attains a length of six inches and 



where the ground is strewn with rotting the animal is correspondingly large. In 



logs, beds of decaying leaves or moss- the markets of Rio Janeiro this mollusk 



covered rocks. Open woodlands maybe is sold as food and is eagerly sought by 



said to be their best habitat in the north- . the poorer people, among whom it is con- 



ern part of the United States. sidered a great delicacy. Another inter- 



The shells of the Pulmonata vary to a esting fact in connection with this species 

 wonderful degree in size, shape and col- (as well as others of the genus) is the size 

 oration. Some are so small that they can of the eggs which it deposits, they being 

 scarcely be seen with the unaided eye, as large as pigeons' eggs. These are also 

 while others attain a length of six inches ; eaten with avidity by the negroes of Bra- 

 some have the aperture of the shell armed zil. 



with numerous folds or teeth, while One of the most beautiful of the land 

 others are smooth and the colors vary shells found in the United States is the 

 from whitish or horn-colored to the gor- Liguus fasciatus, found in Florida and 

 geously colored helices of the tropics Cuba. The shell is about two inches long 

 with their bands and blotches of red, and is encircled by bands of white, brown 

 brown, white or green. With all this di- and green. This species lives in great 

 versity the land shells or helices may al- numbers at Key West, associated with 

 ways be distinguished from their salt or many small shells of the Bulimus 

 fresh- water relatives. The land snails group. Closely related to the last-men- 

 breathe by means of a so-called lung tioned shell (Liguus) is the agate shell 

 which is a sac lined with a network of (Achatina), which attains a length of 

 blood vessels and occupying the last turn seven inches and is the largest of the 

 or whorl of the shell. The air taken into land shells. Like the Bulimus men- 

 this lung purifies the blood. tioned above it lays eggs of large size 



Much is written at the present time up- with a calcareous shell, some being over 



on our new possessions, the Philippine an inch in length. Both the animal and 



Islands, but few people are aware that the egg are eaten by the natives of Africa, 



these islands are tenanted by the most The shells are very attractive, being var- 



interesting and beautiful group of all the legated with different colors, like agate, 



land shells, the Cochlostylas, or tree from which they receive their common 



snails. The animals live for the most part name. 



in the trees and bushes of the islands, the Another of our new political posses- 

 island of Luzon having, probably, the sions, the Hawaiian Islands, has a mollus- 

 best known fauna. The animals are large can fauna peculiar to itself. This is the 

 and quite bold and the shells are of sur- family Achatinellidae which is confined 

 passing beauty, with their colors of solely to the Sandwich Islands. There 

 white, green, brown, etc. Now that these are no shells which can compare in 

 islands have come into the possession of beauty with the Achatinella with their en- 

 the United States it is to be hoped that circled bands of black, yellow, white, red, 

 these handsome creatures will receive the etc. They live on the bushes, generally 

 study they deserve. rather low and near the ground, and re- 



The land shells of the United States, cently they have been threatened with 



77 



