The Nautilus. 



Vol. III. JANUARY, 1890. No. 9. 



IN A MAINE CONCHOLOGIST'S HUNTING GKOUNDS. 



Next to the pleasure of being in a region which has not been 

 scientifically explored, the student of natural history finds most 

 delight in visiting a place where some shining luminary in his 

 favorite branch has made his mark. There is the earnest resolve to 

 find everv species mentioned by the earlier scholar, and the tempting 

 hope of something new. Such a spot is the beautiful town of Bethel, 

 Me., the old stamping ground of Edward S. Morse. Those who 

 have read his papers on the land and fresh water shells of Maine, 

 on the land MoUusks of New England, and his more general articles 

 on the Pupas and Vertigos, can but regret that the greater attrac- 

 tions of Japanese pottery and the lecture platform, dx'ew him away 

 from studies of conchology. For he is a man who goes deep into 

 whatever subject he takes up, even the humble land snails no larger 

 than radish seeds. It was at Bethel that Morse discovered the 

 curious little Planogyra asteriscus, the lusterless steel-blue Zon- 

 ites ferreus, and the tiny Vertigo ventricosa. I found the former 

 abundant in a swampy place beneath some pine trees on the edge of 

 the wide Androscoggin intervales, eaily in October. The layers of 

 damp leaves were alive with niany species of minute shells, Zonites 

 milium and Z. Binneyanus, both Morse discoveries, were very rai-e, 

 but Z. exiguus, Z. radiatulus, Z. fulvus, Patula lineata, Vertigo 

 Gouldii, Pupa contracta and Carychium exiguum were plentiful. 

 By taking up each dead leaf separately, a few brown specks were some- 

 times found, which a magnifying glass revealed as Punctum pygmae- 

 um or minutissimum. In dryer places, beneath pieces of bark, and 

 fallen trees were other tiny shells. Zonites ferreus, Patula striatella 



