HELIX. SNAIL-SHtiLL. Si 



scure narrow whitish band on the middle of the body volu- 

 tion. 



This variety might be mistaken for the H. mfescens, 

 but for its much greater convexity, and the raised line 

 within the lip of the aperture. 



Variety B. Dark chocolate brown and somewhat glossy, 

 with sometimes a few whitish marks, and a milk-white 

 band round the middle of the body volution, and continued 

 at the base of the rest to the top. 



Maritime pastures and dry banks, v. v. 



15. Helix caperata. Blacktlpped Snail-shell. 



Montagu, pi. 1 1. f. 11 Dorset Cat. pi. 19. f. 20. 



Shell rather flattened at top, semitransparent, with a 

 large and deep perforation : spires six, closely and regu- 

 larly striate across, the larger one appearing as if slightly 

 ridged by the flatness of the volutions : color white or 

 blueish-white with purplish brown bands, generally one on 

 the body volution, continuing up the lower part of the 

 rest; at the base are several zones, often broken, and ap- 

 pearing like chains of spots ; sometimes it is dark choco- 

 late brown, or grey, with a white belt and spots, and some- 

 times inclining to rufous ; the tip black or dark brown ; 

 aperture somewhat orbicular, the inner lip a little reflected 

 over the perforation : diameter rarely half an inch 5 height 

 a quarter. 



From all the varieties of H. virgata it may be distin- 

 guished, in not being so much produced, in the strong and 

 regular striae, in the subcarinated appearance of the outer 

 volution, and in wanting the thread-like rib round the in- 

 side of the lip. 



Upon the examination of numerous living specimens, 

 we could never perceive the crenulations which Mr. Dill- 

 wyn says are formed by the junction of the striae at the 

 subcarinated margin of the outer volution, and from which 

 he has assimilated it with the H. crenulata of Gmelin. 

 This ridge is, in fact, hardly to be discerned, and the striae 

 are continued regularly and without interruption round it. 



Dry hedge banks in the west of England, and Bullock in 

 Ireland : rather rare. v. v. 



F 2 16. Helix 



