214 HELIOIDJE. 



rather narrow yellowish-brown or chestnut band im- 

 mediately above the periphery, and from two to seven 

 smaller bands of the same colour below it ; the colour is 

 equally variable in this species as in H. virgata, being also 

 occasionally plain yellowish-white, or dark brown with a 

 single white band, or the dark bands are streaked or in- 

 terrupted, so as to make the surface appear mottled or 

 spotted; sculpture consisting only of striae in the line of 

 growth, which are exceedingly strong and close together, 

 resembling ribs : periphery obtusely keeled : epidermis very 

 slight : whorls 6, compressed towards the periphery, but 

 rather convex below ; the last occupying about two-fifths of 

 the shell ; top whorls minutely granulated : spire slightly 

 raised, often chestnut-brown at the summit : suture rather 

 deep : mouth shaped as in H. virgata but more oblique, 

 inside furnished with a strong white rib which is some- 

 times double : outer lip sharp, slightly reflected towards 

 (and considerably so over) the umbilicus, somewhat in- 

 flected above : umbilicus moderately open and exposing all 

 the inner spire. L. 0-225. B. 0-375. 



Yar. 1. major. Shell larger. L. 0-25. B. 0'5. 



Var. 2. ornata, Picard. Shell smaller, with broader and 

 darker bands. L. 0-15. B. 0-3. 



Yar. 3. subscalaris. Shell conical : whorls more convex. 



Yar. 4. Gigaxii. Shell rather smaller : spire more de- 

 pressed : umbilicus consequently larger. H. Gigaxii, Char- 

 pentier, MS. in sched. and mus. Cuming ! 



HABITAT : Under stones and on the stalks of grass 

 and shrubs in dry and sandy soils in most parts of 

 Great Britain, both inland and maritime, from the 

 Moray Firth district to the Channel Isles. Var. 1. 

 Norwich (Bridgman) ; Surrey (Choules). Var. 2. Sandy 

 coasts of North and South Wales, South Devon, and 

 Cork (J. G. J.). Var. 3. Cork (Humphreys) ; Swansea 

 (J. G. J.). Var. 4. Sandwich and Falmouth. This 

 species has not been noticed as an upper tertiary fossil, 

 or as inhabiting the North of Europe ; but it is widely 

 diffused over a great part of the Continent and ranges 



