384 Review of the Boston Journal of JWitural History. 



the horticulturist, being found only in places not subject to his 

 labors, while to the farmer they are of little consequence, unless 

 to enrich the soil by their exuviae; a few clearings and burnings 

 extirpating the race. For their more particular history and man- 

 ners, we quote from the paper itself. 



" The number of described species of the very natural genus Helix, 

 inhabiting the United States, is already considerable; and the research- 

 es of naturalists are every year adding to it. For a knowledge of the 

 greater part of them we are indebted to the labors of the late Mr. 

 Thomas Say, who, if his valuable life had been longer spared to sci- 

 ence, would have enriched conchology with descriptions and figures of 

 all the known species. As a work so desirable is not now expected 

 from any other source, and as there already exists some confusion 

 among the species, caused by the want of correct figures, without which 

 the most accurate descriptions are liable to be misunderstood, I shall 

 make an attempt (though, I am conscious, in an imperfect manner,) to 

 supply the history of this genus as it exists in the United States, and to 

 ascertain and fix the species discovered by our own authors, before they 

 shall have been irrecoverably appropriated by others. 



" It has been often objected to the study of shells, as commonly pur- 

 sued, that it is not a branch of natural history properly speaking, as it 

 gives us no information of the beings by which they are constructed and 

 inhabited; but consists merely of an artificial arrangement and descrip- 

 tion of their least destructible parts. This objection has great weight, 

 and should induce those who have leisure and opportunity to devote 

 more time than has hitherto been given, to the observation of the habits 

 and manners of the animals, which, it cannot be doubted, are fully as 

 interesting, and as illustrative of the benevolence and power of the 

 Author of nature, as those of any other class. To avoid this imputa- 

 tion in the present instance, a description of the animal has been given 

 when it has been possible to procure living specimens, and such notices 

 of their habits as the limited opportunities atForded by a city residence 

 have enabled me to obtain, will be found under the remarks on the re- 

 spective species. It is to be noticed here, that the habits of the genus 

 are remarkably similar; so much so, that an account of one species may 

 serve for the whole, and those of the European species do not seem to 

 differ in any considerable degree from those of our own. 



" The extraordinary power of reproducing some of their members, 

 and even the head itself, when mutilated, which they were discovered to 

 possess by Spallanzani, and the promulgation of which fact was received 

 with so much doubt and incredulity by the learned,* exists also in our 

 species. The uncertain points of their history, such as the question 

 whether the black points on the end of the superior tentacuK-e, which 

 are generally considered to be eyes, are true organs of vision, are equal- 

 ly matters of doubt with us. The state of the question as to this par- 

 ticular is somewhat singular. The anatomists, including Swammer- 

 dam, Spallanzani and Bonnet, affirm that the part in question is a true 

 eye, possessing the structure which in other animals is adapted to the 

 sense of vision; while careful observers cannot distinguish, in the ac- 

 tions of the living animal, any proof of their sensibility of light or con- 

 sciousness of the presence of objects, except when in actual contact 

 with them; and therefore infer, that they are mere organs of touch. 

 The truth may probably be between these extremes. These animals 



*" The controversy which arose on this subject caused a vast sacrifice of life among 

 these aniiiKils. Adanson, one of many who called the fact in question, acknowledged 

 that he destroyed several thousands in experinionls." 



