JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 33 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE REPRODUCTION OF 



THE DART, DURING AN 



ATTEMPT TO BREED FROM A SINISTRAL 



HELIX ASPERSA Miill. 



By R. STANDEN. 



(Read before the Manchester Branch, Nov. 12th, 1891). 



A SERIES of attempts to procure fruitful pairing of the sinistral 

 Helix aspersa taken at Whalley during the Society's visit there 

 in June, 1889, with a dextral specimen, although unsuccessful 

 so far as the hoped for breeding of a sinistral progeny was con- 

 cerned, resulted in the noting of a number of exceedingly 

 interesting observations relating to use and reproduction of the 

 Helecine dart. I kept the snail in a deep dish, half-filled with 

 soil, pieces of decayed wood, and lumps of chalk, and covered 

 with a bell-glass, through which its habits could readily be 

 watched. 



The following notes from my journal were made at the 

 time, and I have given them verbatim: — 



Feb. 14, i8go. — Placed with the sinistral snail a fine healthy 

 'virgin' dextral specimen reared from the egg by Mr. 

 Rogers. 

 Feb. 16. — Noticed signs of desire to pair in both ; genital organ 

 protruded and swollen, and snails fondling each other 

 with their tentacles. 

 Feb. ry. — Both snails very active, crawling over and round each 

 other. Repeatedly saw each protrude the dart and 

 prick the other with the point, which was on such occa- 

 sions exserted about \ inch. The animal thus pricked 

 would suddenly withdraw into its shell, but instantly 

 reappear and eagerly approach the other. Coition evi- 

 dently difficult owing to genital aperture being on reverse 

 side in sinistral one. Both constantly approach head to 



