56 HELIC1DJE. 



ACHATINA. Leach. 



Shell Spiral, elongated ; mouth ovate or elongated ; peris- 

 tome thin, never reflexed. 



Animal Closely resembling that of Bulimus. 



A. ACICULA. Mutter. PL VII, fig. 16. 

 Bulimus acicula, Drap., fyc. 



Shell about a quarter of an inch long, tapering, acute 

 at the apex, narrow in proportion to the length. Outer 

 margin of the lip thin, not reflexed, of a uniform white 

 colour, smooth and polished. Pillar smooth, simple, 

 curved and truncated in front. Animal white, upper 

 tentacles cylindrical, not thickened at the extremity, 

 and deprived of eyes. This genus approaches in form 

 and appearance to the Bulimus^ but may be distin- 

 guished from it by the mouth being at least half the 

 length of the entire shell. They are a most interesting 

 genus, many of those found in tropical countries attain 

 to a large size, so that we can have little idea of them 

 from their tiny representative in the British Isles. 



U.ab. This delicate shell delights in a sandy soil, 

 taking up its quarters among the roots of grass. The 

 downs and hillocks near the coast may be frequently 

 searched with success. After a considerable flood we 

 once found them in great abundance amongst the re- 

 jectment of the river Tees, near Middlesbro', whence 

 they had been brought from the banks of the stream 

 higher up. Living specimens are comparatively rare. 

 In many places it must be regarded as subfossil ; it ap- 

 pears to have abounded in Britian at the close of the 

 tertiary epoch. 



SUCCINEA. Draparnaud. 



Shell Oblong, oval, thin, spire conical, body whorl very 

 large ; mouth oblong ; peristome thin ; pillar smooth. 



Animal Large, upper tentacles short and reflexrd, lower 

 ones very short. 



