186 PNEUMONOBRANCHIATA. 



white longitudinal streaks ; spire consisting of from 

 nine to twelve somewhat rounded volutions, ending 

 rather acutely ; aperture oval, longer than wide ; the 

 peristome reflected and forming a slight perforation 

 at the pillar. 



This shell varies very greatly in its colour, being 

 sometimes nearly white without bands, and at others 

 variously banded ; the hinder bands are often wanting 

 or interrupted, and sometimes instead of being banded, 

 the shell is marked with oblique longitudinal streaks, 

 sometimes the black and sometimes the white being 

 the more abundant, and consequently forming the 

 ground colour. It varies slightly in shape, and is 

 sometimes much elongated. 



The Bulimus ventricosus of Draparnaud and other 

 continental authors differs in being shorter, and all 

 the whorls more pressed together and ventricose. I 

 have never seen any specimens agreeing with this 

 foreign species found in England, and believe that 

 the specimen which Dr. Turton took for it was 

 only one of the numerous varieties of B. acutus, 

 as his figure does not represent the continental 

 species. 



Montagu (Test. Brit. 348.) erroneously thought 

 this species, which has a very wide continental distri- 

 bution, was peculiar to England. He thought the 

 H. acuta of Gmelin was Bulimus detritus. ( See p. 386.) 

 In the places where it is found it is often so abundant 

 that it is a prevailing opinion that they contribute 

 much to the fattening of sheep. (See Borlase, Hist. 

 Corn. 286. ; Mont. Test. Brit. 347.) It is often found 

 in company with Helix virgata (see Test. Brit. 417.), 

 which is supposed to have the same qualities. 



