fr 



^ 



inhabiting the United States, 



471 



ever, that they are fond of animal substances, and some- 

 times prey upon earth worms, their own eggs, and even 

 upon each other ; but the slowness of their motions forbids 

 the idea of their being able to sustain themselves by ha- 

 bitually preying upon other animals. They, in their turn, 

 become the prey of various birds, and it is no uncommon 

 thing to observe iti the forest clusters of broken shells 

 on the top of logs or other situations, which have been 

 chosen by the birds as convenient for breaking the shell 

 and extractinsf the animal. 



.# 



m- 



* 



The reader will notice that I am largely indebted to 

 the writings of Mr. Say for the materials of my descrip- 

 tions, which I prefer to acknowledge in this general man- 

 ner rather than to have occasion to mention it in the 

 numerous instances where it would otherwise be neces- 



sary 



My acknowledgments are due to several living 



naturalists, and particularly to Dr. C. J. Ward of Chilli- 

 cothe, Ohio, for much interestmg information concerning 

 our western species. 



The genus as here described, comprises Helix and 

 Carocolla of Lamarck. It forms no part of the object 

 of this paper to attempt a division of it in accordance 

 with the views of systematists, although such a division 

 has become necessary in consequence of the great number 

 of species which it embraces. But for convenience of 

 reference to our own species the following divisions and 

 subdivisions are made. 



-*< 



