TAYLOR: ON HELIX ARBUSTORUM. 25 1 



A var. ma7-itima is recorded in the Zoologist, March, 1853, 

 by James Taylor, as plentiful along the coasts of Aberdeenshire 

 and Kincardineshire, but I have been unable to find any descrip- 

 tion of it, or gain any information of its peculiarities. 



Fossil. 



The variety alpestris occurs in the upper tertiary beds of 

 Copford, in Essex, and the type in the loess of Fisherton Anger near 

 Salisbury. In France it is found in the pleistocene fluvio-marine 

 sand (sable aigre) of Menchecourt near Abbeville, and in the loess 

 at Frankfort and Heidelberg in Germany. 



Parasites. 



This species is infested with a small white mite, which does 

 not appear to differ at first sight, from those found on other species. 

 I obtained three individuals and placed them in a small tube, for 

 future examination, but when I required them, I found they had 

 all escaped through a defective place in the cork. 



Habits and Habitat. 



This species lives gregariously, on shrubs and on the ground; 

 it is generally confined to a small area, and appears to travel but 

 little from its favorite bushes. Moquin-Tandon says it is sluggish 

 and irritable, fond of darkness, secretes mucus rather plentifully, 

 and carries its shell inclined when crawling. It appears to prefer 

 hedgebanks with succulent vegetation, but different observers note 

 its preferences. 



Montagu says "it delights in wet and shady places, particu- 

 larly among willows and -alders where the soil is black and boggy.' 

 Dr. G. R. Tate, states that it is found "on reeds by ditch sides." 

 Dr. Jeffreys "among alders, and in moist and shady woods and 

 hedges, and in meadows by the side of rivers." Mr. C. Ashford, 



