THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. 



XXXI. 



In this specimen, which is mature, the spire is very much, though quite 

 regularly, elongated, and presents a very different appearance from the common 

 form ; this is well shewn by the striking difference in the dimensions of the 

 variety as compared with those of the typical specimens which I exhibit for 

 comparison as follows : 



The substance of the shell is of about the average thickness. The largest 

 whorl is strongly marked with the ordinary markings, but there is very little 

 trace of them on the other four whorls. 



This specimen was found in September, 1907, in the garden of Kev. S. E. V. 

 Filleul, who very kindly presented it to me for my collection. His gardener has 

 not before seen one like it, which would suggest that its variation is the result of 

 accident, and not inherited, though I should mention that I see no trace of 

 damage on the shell ; it might, however, have occurred to the inhabitant when 

 young. 



Mr. E. R. Sykes (late President of the Malacological Society) writes to me as 

 follows : 



" An unusually prolonged spire has been noticed again and again in various 

 shells. They are always interesting and I am not clear to what they are due. 



Sometimes a careful examination will shew a break or injury 



which caused the animal to diverge from the normal There used 



to be some people in France who bred freaks of this kind in Helix aspersa and 

 pomatia ; they had dodges, I believe, of putting bits of shell and wax and such- 

 like things to induce the animal to diverge. Put shortly something it may be 

 accidental injury to animal or shell, or natural peculiarity, caused this to coil in a 

 more attenuated form than the normal. Helix pomatia has been seen as flat as a 

 Planorbis. 



The PRESIDENT also exhibited a rare plant (Malva borealis] 

 new to Dorset from Chickerell. It was a low-growing mallow 

 with very small pink flowers, and grew in profusion over a 

 considerable area in two fields adjoining his garden. He 

 gave it to Captain Acland for inclusion in the Museum 

 herbarium. 



