56 JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 



NOTES ON THE 

 MOLLUSCA COLLECTED IN SWITZERLAND IN 1882. 



By R. M. CHRISTY. 



It is hard to believe that among the many thousands of 

 Enghshmen annually visiting the Engadine and other parts of 

 Switzerland, there are not a few at least who have some 

 acquaintance with the moUusca inhabiting those regions. 

 Having spent two months at St. Moritz this summer, I trust a 

 few remarks on the species I met with will prove of interest. 

 In identifying my specimens I have received the very kindest 

 assistance from Miss F. M. Hele of Bristol. An uphill journey 

 by a Swiss Diligence allows ample time for one to botanize, 

 entomologize or to hunt for shells by the roadside, and the first 

 opportunity I found for doing the latter was during the Diligence 

 journey from Chur, via Thusis and the Julier Pass to the 

 Engadine, on the 30th of June last. On this occasion I found 

 Helix pomatia abundant about Thusis, and even almost as high 

 up as Tiefenkasten, but after that I saw nothing of it, as it did 

 not appear to inhabit any part of the Engadine. Between the 

 above-mentioned places too. Helix arbustorum was common. 

 The specimens were much lighter in colour than is usual, but 

 from their size I believe they are not the variety alpestris. 



St. Moritz is at a height of 6100 feet above the sea, and is 

 the highest village in the Engadine. It is no wonder, therefore, 

 that its neighbourhood does not afford a very large list of shells. 

 Indeed, I had been there some days before I noticed any, but 

 then I found that a fall of rain had brought out a few individuals 

 of Helix arbustorum beside the small stream running down 

 beside the path to Celerina. Then again came a period when 

 I met with nothing, until on the 19th of June I went for a short 

 distance up the little stream which runs down through the 

 meadows on the mountain-side, immediately above the Kulm 



J.C, iv., April, 1883 



