134 THE NAUTILUS. 



During the past five years all the species of the genus now known to 

 inhabit Colorado have been found alive in flourisliing colonies, so 

 that it seenas probable they are as abundant as they ever were. 



The first important colonies to come to my attention were of 0. 

 haydeni Gabb and variety gabhiana Hemphill, discovered on the 

 bluff above the Hotel Colorado, at Glenwood Springs, by the well- 

 known botanist and naturalist, Professor E. Bethel, of Denver. 

 The colonies were in close proximity, one above the other. They 

 were on limestones, sandstones and calcareous shales. 0. haydeni 

 was easily recognized, but the others were sent to Dr. Pilsbry, who 

 wrote : 



" The shells are indistinguishable from 0. haydeni gabbiana Hemp- 

 hill. It is also to be noted here that Hemphill found gabhiana and 

 a form with strong spirals, hardly separable from typical haydeni^ on 

 the same mountain-side, though in separate colonies." 



Unfortunately Professor Bethel's vivid and interesting description 

 written at the time, was lost in transit to Dr. Pilsbry, and I have 

 never been able to get him to attempt to rewrite it. 



Later Mr. Albert Dakan, of Longmont, visited the locality and 

 collected both species, though I am not certain that they are from 

 exactly the same colonies. He locates his haydeni colony on a lime- 

 stone formation " on the mountain-side on the north side of the 

 Grand River just above the point where the Glenwood water-main 

 crosses it." His gabhiana colony he places on Blocks 51 and 52 of 

 the town plat. His account of gabhiana throws such light on the 

 habits of the genus, is so in accord with my own experience elsewhere, 

 and so well explains why live Oreohelix have not been found abun- 

 dantly in the State by earlier collectors, that I feel justified in quot- 

 ting it somewhat fully, as follows : 



" While returning from a little climb on the hill at the northeast 

 corner of the town, on the afternoon of April 8, 1908, I noticed a 

 few snails, and gathered what scattering ones I could find on a zig- 

 zag course down the hill-side. I had gathered up nearly a handful, 

 when suddenly one that was in my fingers showed signs of life. 

 This aroused a lively interest in the search, but it was some little 

 time before the second live one was found. After that they were 

 easy to find. My hands were soon full, but mostly of dead ones. 

 Not caring to discard any of them I went to the foot of the hill and 

 ot a three-pound lard pail and then went after them in earnest. 



