CHAPTER LXVII: THE BANDED SNAILS 



Family Orthalicid.^ 



Shell as in Bulimus, thin, without a pit; Hp thin, simple; 

 columella straight; jaw pointed in front, with oblique shingling 

 side plates. Radula of fme cusped teeth in V-shaped rows. A 

 family of tree snails that secrete a thick, dry epiphragm and hiber- 

 nate during the dry season. 



Habitat. — Tropical America. 



Genus ORTHALICUS, Beck 



Characters of the family. 



The Waved Orthalicus (0. undata, Brug.) is strikingly, 

 but irregularly, banded both ways with chocolate on a pale ground. 

 It grows noticeably larger on the mainland than on adjacent 

 islands. Length, 2 inches. 



Habitat. — Central America. 



O. zebra, Mlill., is distinguished from its close relative by 

 chestnut zigzag lines of more distinct pattern. 



The tropical summer is the period of "aestivation" for land 

 mollusks; they become inactive, burying themselves deeply in 

 the ground or attaching themselves to the under sides of rocks, 

 or to tree trunks, or stalks of grass. The beautifully painted 

 Orthalicus of South America disappears underground for this 

 season. When the rains come they joyfully climb to the highest 

 treetops. Tropical countries that throng with land mollusks 

 in the rainy season, seem quite as barren of life in midsummer 

 as colder regions do in midwinter, when mollusks are hibernating. 



Sub-Genus LIGUUS 



Under this division is assembled a group of species and 

 varieties with shells so graceful and beautiful that they charm 

 everyone. The shapely, slender spire is wound with narrow 



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