inhabiting the United States. 477 



, Carolina^ and may be supposed to inhabit the whole vast 

 territory of the United States. It is more frequent in 

 well-woodedj than in cleared sections of the country, and 

 is said to be more abundant in the eastern, than in the 

 western states. 



Remarks. Although inhabiting a geographical range 

 of great extent, it is very uniform in its characters, indi- 

 viduals from the most distant localities not exhibiting any 

 appreciable differences. Destitute of brilHant tints and 

 markings, it is still a beautiful species, and will always 

 attract attention in a collection, by its delicately striated 

 surface, its broad white lip. Its pleasing though modest 

 color, and its elegant contour. Its habits may be taken 

 for those of the whole genus. 



In the partially cleared forests of New England, great 

 numbers may at all times be found sheltered in the moist 

 mould under decaying trunks of fallen trees, and rotten 

 stumps, and sometimes under stones. In these situations 

 they pass the greater part of their Hves, and feed upon 

 the decaying vegetable matter which exists in profusion 

 around them- When the atmosphere is charged with 

 moisture, and during light showers, and in the morning 

 and eveninf^ twilight they leave their retreats, and may 

 be seen slowly making their w^ay over the surface of 

 the fallen leaves, or climbing the trunks of trees ; but a 

 change of weather soon drives them again to shelter. In 

 the early days of spring they are sometimes observed 

 collected in considerable numbers on the sunny sides of 

 rocks,* where they pass hours in indolent enjoyment of 

 the warmth and animatincf influence of the sunshine. 



I 



The congregation of great numbers of Helices in the springs is 

 noticed by a writer in Loudon^s Magazine. — See vol. vi, p. 200. 



i 



