Ifrlix aspcrsa ill CaUfuniia. 120 



IX. — On Helix as^wrsa in California, and the (rcor/rapliical 

 Distribution of certain, ]Vest American Land-Snails, and 

 jjrecious errors relatiiuj thereto, d'c. 



BY KU15EKT K. (". STEAKKS. 



r.MVEKSiTV OF California, 

 Keiul March 28tli. 1881. 



The presence of the well-known European land-snail. Helix 

 aspersa, in California, as an inhabitant of the State, is verified 

 by living specimens received bv me recentl\-, through the kind- 

 ness of Mr. Harford, of the California Academy, of Sciences. 

 They were collected near San Jose, iu Santa Clara Count}', 

 Avliere it is stated that a colony exists, Avhich, as will be seen by 

 the foot-note,* was planted tiventij -three years ago ! 



* In a reply to Mr. Harford's inquiiy, Mrs. A. E. Bush, of San Jose, 

 writes, — "I learn that H. aspersa was brought from France to San Jose 

 about tAveuty-three years ago, by Mr. A. Delmas, and turned out on the 

 Guadalupe, probably with the grape-vines. You have evidence that the 

 tirst colony of Helices are doing well. I do not learn that any one else has 

 ever brought anJ^ A son of Mr. Delmas gave me the information, and 

 also, tliat they were planted in the southern part of the State at the same 

 time, where they were put on the grape-vines, and that they have done 

 better there than here. ***** Thej^ were probably brought here 

 as an experiment, and have been eaten, and have not spread beyond the 

 locality where first planted. There are a few French families about there 

 [i. e. on the Guadalupe], but they seem very unwilling to give any informa- 

 tion, which may be, because Americans are prejudiced against snails as an 

 article of food. * * * Am satisfied that the handful * * * that I 

 got were intended for the pot * * * . 



The soil where the colony was placed is a rich, sandy loam, well shaded ; 

 when the summer heats come, the Helices descend into the ground several 

 feet, in the cracks that form as the ground dries ; and the gopher-holes 

 make retreats also for the Helix." 



It should be borne in mind that the San Jose referred to herein, is an 

 interior toAvn or city of many thousand inhabitants, several miles back from 



