^6 HELICID^. 



Z. CELLARius. Muller. PL V^ fig. 8. 



Shell discoid, opaque white beneath, a yellowish horn colour above, 

 shining and smooth ; whorls five or five and a half in number. " 



Helix cellaria. Mull., ^c. 



There is sometimes a difficulty in distinguishing this 

 species from Z. alliarius, when the animal is not pres- 

 ent, but there is in the one under notice a peculiarly 

 pellucid milkiness of colouring, which is never present 

 in the succeeding species ; the spire also is more flat- 

 tened, and it attains to a considerably larger size ; in 

 fact it is the largest of our Zonites, sometimes measuring 

 half an inch in diameter, when found in favourable situ- 

 ations as drains and sewers. They prefer damp places 

 amongst luxuriantly growing weeds. We were once 

 somewhat surprised , when turning over a plot of ground 

 in the early part of the spring, to find a number of these 

 shells, frequently at the depth of eight or ten inches 

 below the surface, where no doubt they had descended 

 to pass the winter in a state of torpor, and the weather 

 had not been sufficiently genial to call them forth into 

 more active life. 



Hah. May be found in almost every district very 

 abundantly, at the roots of damp grass, moss, &c. 



Z. ALLiAnius. Miller. PI. V, fig. 13. 



Shell slightly convex, nearly flat, thin, horn coloured, smooth and 

 shining ; four volutions ; slightly white underneath and near the um- 

 bilicus. 



Helix alliaria. Brown, ^c. 



Though the family of Zonites is somewhat puzzling 

 to beginners, yet we think, by a little close attention, 

 the diligent observer will be able to overcome the diffi- 

 culties which he may meet with ; perhaps the greatest 

 obstruction is the liability to confound the young of the 

 larger, with the full grown smaller ones. Z. alliarius 

 when living may always be easily distinguished from 

 the rest, by the strong garlic smell which the animal 

 emits, especially when irritated ; this is a remarkable 

 fact and has no parallel amongst the other British Land 



