HUGGINS: THE SOUTH DEVON RACE OF HYGROMIA LIMBATA. 299 



H. limbata. Further some half-grown examples I kept in captivity 

 on a chalky soil formed new growth of a different character, the new 

 shell being lighter in colour, thicker, and more opaque ; with the 

 result that the peripheral band was thrown into far greater promin- 

 ence. This was especially shown in several examples of the var. 

 albina, which, instead of being glistening transparent white, became 

 opaque shining white, like the var. albma of Helix hortensis, the 

 peripheral band showing very clear and translucent by contrast. 



Having now visited Teignmouth in January, early April, August, 

 and October, I have had the opportunity of studying the habits of 

 ZT. limbata at all seasons. It appears to be decidedly sluggish, 

 though of an irritable and inquisitive disposition ; if disturbed it soon 

 comes out of its shell again, and does not appear particularly timid. 

 It loves deep damp hedge banks, full of dead leaves, especially those 

 of the elm, maple, and hazel, in the order of preference given, and 

 occurs most abundantly under an inch or two of leaves from the road 

 level to half-way up the bank. In hot sunny weather, however, it 

 occasionally climbs high up, and suns itself in the bushes, as Helix 

 nemoralis does on beech trunks on the chalk downs, but the position 

 chosen is most peculiar. It does not seem to rest on the side of a 

 stalk or stem, as both H. striolata and Ashfordia granulata do in the 

 same locality, but chooses the middle of a wide leaf, preferably of the 

 hazel or field-maple, and sits on the upper-side in full sunshine. 



H. limbata is a fairly hardy species ; it does not hibernate in South 

 Devon in ordinary weather (I found it quite active in January, 1918), 

 but some specimens I took home in October, 191 7, did so in the colder 

 climate of Kent, going into winter quarters in November and emerg- 

 ing in early April the following year. These specimens covered the 

 mouth of the shell with a transparent colourless epiphragm, a practice 

 also followed by the mollusc when sestivating ; I dug out a large 

 number of apparently quite healthy animals in this state in August, 

 19 1 8, and think that it sestivates regularly. 



H. limbata is undoubtedly gregarious ; where it occurs at all it is the 

 commonest species, but it is most capricious ; a colony of hundreds 

 will occupy ten yards of road, then perhaps there will be gap varying 

 from a hundred yards to a mile. It is usually found with H. caperata, 

 A. granulata^ and H. striolata, but does not seem to associate with 

 these species, its true associates being Arion intermedins, Hyalinia 

 cellaria, and H. lucida, especially the last named. Its favourite spots 

 are deep beds of dead aud decaying elm leaves, the white fungus with 

 which these are covered being, I believe, its staple food in a wild 

 state. 



