INTRODUCTION. 35 



Helix Pomatia is nearly confined to the chalk dis- 

 trict of the south of England : it has been found as 

 far north as Wiltshire. Miller says it is rare in a 

 park at Bristol (where it might have been intro- 

 duced). According to Montagu, "it is not an 

 aboriginal species in this kingdom, but was first in- 

 troduced about the middle of the 16th century, either 

 as an article of food, or for medicinal purposes. It 

 is supposed they were first imported from Italy, and 

 turned out in Surrey by a Mr. Howard at Albury. 

 It is also said that Sir Kenelm Digby [about 1630?] 

 dispersed them about Gothurst, near Newport Pagnel, in 

 Buckinghamshire ; and Mr. Morton informs us they 

 were turned out by Lord Statton, at Kerby in North- 

 amptonshire." Dr. Turton observes that their having 

 been used as food, as mentioned by Lister (to which I 

 may add the fact of Merret having mentioned them 

 without any note, as found in Sussex, in his Pinax, 

 published in 1667), strongly militates against the idea 

 of their being of foreign origin. They have been said 

 to be found as far north as Devizes, in Wiltshire, and 

 in Gloucestershire. I believe they are rather restrained 

 by the limits of the chalk basin than by the climate, as 

 they are abundant in the Botanic Garden, and the 

 gardens of the nobles in the south of Sweden, where 

 the climate is much more rigorous ; and I have no 

 doubt that, if they could pass the other strata, they 

 could live on the chalk in Yorkshire. " Some years 

 ago they were introduced into Scotland by Patrick 

 Neil, Esq., and placed in his curious and most inter- 

 esting garden at Cannon Mills, but we believe they 

 have not prospered, and are gradually disappearing." 

 (Johnston, Mag. N. Hist. 47.) 

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