SEPTEMBER 13, 1918] 
CONCERTED BEHAVIOR OF TERRESTRIAL 
MOLLUSKS 
On August 29, 1915, the writer collected 125 
specimeris of Cochlicopa lubrica (lot 146a) 
from the outer surface of the door and frame 
of the “ dark room” at the Iowa Lakeside Lab- 
oratory, on Lake Okoboji. This small frame 
building is more than half imbedded in the 
hillside about 15 feet above the level of the 
lake. The roof is covered with humus dirt 
and yegetation. A short passageway walled 
with heavy boards leads to the doorway. 
Throughout the preceding night there had 
been a constant, cold rain. On the morning 
of the 29th there was a cold, drying wind. On 
the afternoon of this day I chanced to notice 
a specimen of Cochlicopa on the door-frame; 
closer examination then revealed a good many, 
and I spent an hour or more in gathering them. 
Those attached to the walls were at all heights, 
with the apex directly downwards, which latter 
fact, I presume, indicates that their movement 
had been upwards. None of the specimens 
were moving at the time, but all were retracted 
and fastened by a secretion to the substrate. 
Doubtless this condition is explained by the 
fact that the wind had made the planks so dry 
that locomotion was difficult or impossible. 
Ten or fifteen specimens were picked up from 
the ground close to the wall, but were inactive 
and lay as they had fallen. A few, also, were 
found in cobwebs, by which they had been 
caught as they fell from the vertical walls. 
While a few specimens were found on the 
south wall, most were on the north wall (which 
faced the south) and the northeast corner of 
the building (which faced east to north). Be- 
sides the Cochlicope, a considerable number of 
specimens of Vallonia gracilicosta were found; 
and also about fifteen specimens of Bifidaria 
armifera. However, the two latter species did 
not exhibit any uniformity in orientation, so 
far as noticed, at least. 
Concerning the Cochlicope, the writer was 
puzzled to account, not only for their presence 
in rather large numbers, but for the singular 
uniformity of their behavior. The snails on 
the vertical walls were at all heights from the 
ground, and all exhibited precisely the same 
SCIENCE 
271 
orientation, viz., the apex of the shell pointed 
‘downward. They evidently had come from 
the ground below. But why should they be 
moving upward? Under conditions of drouth 
and cold one would expect these forms to ex- 
hibit a positively geotropie response. Close to 
the water’s edge among the rocks and fallen 
leaves the writer had been accustomed to find 
this species rather common; but never so many 
in a given area as occurred on this occasion. 
None had ever been found on this slope so far 
up, before. 
It seemed to the writer that so many of these 
snails being found together, and with similar 
orientation, was a fact inviting explanation, 
which, however, he is unable to furnish. This 
ease differs from the synchronic behavior re- 
cently described in Science by several authors, 
in that it lacks the element of rhythm. In the 
movement of the group of harvestmen, as 
described by Newman, and the simultaneous 
movement of the fall web-worn, described by 
Peairs, there is a rhythmic group movement 
which may be distinguished from concert of 
action. And while I am unable to explain the 
behavior of these snails, I am inclined to look 
upon it as a sort of concerted action. 
T. C. STEPHENS 
MorNINGSIDE COLLEGE, 
Sroux Crry, Ia. 
A COUNTRY WITHOUT A NAME 
To THE Eprtor or Science: I am glad to see 
that some one has at last had the insight and 
courage to note and call attention to the fact 
that our nation has no name. “The United 
States ” is no name at all, and merely because 
we call the United States of Mexico “ Mexico,” 
and the United States of Brazil “ Brazil,” 
is no justification for calling the United States 
of America “ America.” Our brothers to our 
north call us “the States,” which is about as 
meaningless as anything can be, but it is our 
own fault that we are so called. Some years 
ago there was a popular musical comedy con- 
taining a song entitled “My own United 
States,” but it could arouse no thrill with 
such a handicap. Indeed we do need a na- 
tional name more than a national flower, 
