1849-] occurring in Afghanisthan. 651 



At first sight it bears a strong resemblance to the European Helix 

 virgata (Montagu) vel variabilis of authors ; the broad bands of the 

 coloured individuals, and the colouring of the unhanded ones, being 

 very similar to that shell. It is however readily distinguishable from 

 it by the more flattened form, and by the greater tendency to exhibit 

 bands on the under side ; while the umbilicus, being invariably more 

 open and showing a greater portion of the lower whorls, is of itself a 

 sufficiently distinctive character. 



In the fields of Lucerne and Clover, as also in gardens and orchards, 

 this snail is very abundant ; it appears to have the habit of clustering 

 together when at rest, in great numbers, a singular trait, which is also 

 observable in the Helix virgata. In the end of September, I observed 

 them "in coitu," individuals of all colours freely intermixing. The 

 aperture is occasionally closed by a thin viscous plate. Although 

 so extremely common at Candahar, that hundreds might have been 

 collected within a few hours, the species would still appear to be re- 

 markably local, for neither at Quettah on the one hand, not at Girishk 

 on the other, did I meet with a single specimen. 



This shell, discovered by me on the arrival of Shah Shoojah's army 

 at Candahar in the end of April 1839, has been named and described 

 in the Magazine of Natural History, Vol. XVIII. p. 123, by Dr. L. 

 PfehTer from specimens in the collection of H. Cuming, Esq. furnished 

 by Mr. Benson, who received them in all probability from myself. 

 4. — Helix Bactriana (Hutton). 



Animal straw coloured, with the superior tentacula very long and 

 black ; shell carried obliquely horizontal ; foot short and rather tapering 

 posteriorly. 



Shell fuscous or pale earthy brown, but varying to reddish brown, 

 and in some to sandy ; in living specimens dotted over with darker 

 spots or blotches, from the animal being apparent through it ; subglo- 

 bose ; spire obtuse, scarcely exserted ; whorls 6 ; aperture ovato-lunate, 

 oblique ; whorls obliquely and finely wrinkled with the striae of growth ; 

 peristome acute, pillar lip partially reflected over the umbilicus ; a strong 

 white rib within the aperture, showing usually a rufous band externally ; 

 umbilicus moderate, exposing a portion of the penultimate whorl. Dia- 

 meter T 6 ^ of an inch. Some have a pale line along the periphery of the 

 body whorl, which is slightly angular. 



4 p 2 



