Review of the Boston Journal of A'atural History. 385 



are nocturnal, and pass the greater part of their lives under logs and 

 stones, or burrowing in the ground, where but few rays of light can 

 reach them; their eyes, adapted to such situations, may be merely ru- 

 dimentarj', and become useless in the broad light of day. Besides, al- 

 though the eyes are situated in the ti])s of the tentacuia, these members 

 themselves may be still organs of touch, as they undoubtedly are in 

 other genera, when the black points are situated at their base; and the 

 habit they have of ajjplying them to every object which they approach, 

 contirms the sup])osition that they are constructed for this purpose. 

 That the black points are eyes may very fairly be inferred analogically, 

 from the recent observations of a naturalist on one of the largest ani- 

 mals of this class. Rev. Lansdowne Guilding (Zoological Journal, 

 vol. iv, p. 72,) asserts, that in the giant species of Slrombus, in the 

 Caribl)ean Sea, the eyes are more perfect than those of many vertebrated 

 animals, — that they have a ' distinct pupil, and a double iris, equalling, 

 in beauty and correctness of outline, those of birds arid reptiles.' 



" In comparing our species with those of Europe, there are some 

 general considerations deserving of attention. Our shells are more uni- 

 form and less brilliant in their coloring, and are in general destitute of 

 spots and painted bands or zones. This peculiarit}^ seems to be con- 

 nected with, and perhaps grows out of, the habits of the respective ani- 

 mals which in Europe are common in gardens and fields, on walls and 

 hedges, and other places exposed to the action of light, while in this 

 country they are generally found in forests, sheltered under logs and 

 stones, and are rarely seen abroad except during twilight and in damp 

 weather. They do not infest our gardens and cultivated fields, nor 

 cause damage to vegetation. Another peculiarity is, the great propor- 

 tion of our species whose aperture is provided with tooth-like append- 

 ages, amounting indeed to more than half of the whole number, and to 

 more than three quarters of those with reflected lips. 



" The natural food of the genus is generally supposed to be vegeta- 

 ble matter, and the formation of the mouth and jaws seems to be pecu- 

 liarly well adapted for cutting fruits and the succulent leaves of plants. 

 The dental edge of the upper jaw, with its minute serratures, being ap- 

 plied against the substance to be eaten, the semilunar, sharp-edged 

 instrument, which Spallanzani calls the tongue, is brought up against it, 

 cutting out and carrying into tlie mouth semi-circular portions of the 

 substance. This operation is carried on with great rapidity, and the 

 substance to be eaten soon disappears. It is certain, however, that they 

 are fond of animal substances, and sometimes prey upon earth worms, 

 their own eggs, and even upon each other; but the slowness of their 

 motions forbids the idea of their being able to sustain thiniselves by ha- 

 bitually preying u])on other animals. They, in their turn, become the 

 prey of various liirds, ;ind it is no uncommon thing to observe, in the 

 forest, clusters of broken shells, on the top of logs or other situations, 

 which have been chosen by the birds as convenient for breaking the 

 shell and extracting the animal." 



The present number, like the preceding, is embelHshec], not 

 only with beautiful but with really useful plates, sufhcieiit to aid 

 and guide the naturalist in the absence of specimens and other 

 tangible authority. As a whole we may be proud of such a 

 work issuing from the united labors of the press, the pen, and the 

 observing eye of the naturalist, as contributive to the onward 

 progress of a definite system of our native natural science. 



VOL. III. NO. X. 49 



