The Common Snail. 41 



but which, it can scarcely be suspected of having 

 hollowed out for its own accommodation. Fig. 5, 

 the Elegant Cyclostome (Gyclostoma elegans). On 

 turning to the dictionary, we find that cyclos- 

 tomous means having a circular mouth. This 

 species is sometimes called Turbo elegans ; the 

 beautifully-marked shells are often found in 

 chalky hills covered with brushwood. This pretty 

 mollusk has a curious mode of travelling; the 

 under surface of the foot, which, is long, is divided 

 by a deep fissure into two narrow strips, like 

 ribbons ; these take hold of whatever the creature 

 may be moving on alternately; one keeping fast 

 hold while the other advances, in like manner to 

 fix itself, and drag the body forward. Fig. 6, 

 the Undulated Plekocheilos (P. undulatus); the 

 Latin pledo — to twist or twine, seems to be the 

 root from which the generic name of this Snail 

 is derived ; the specific name will be easily under- 

 stood; to undulate, is to flow like waves, and the 

 lines on the shell it will be seen are undulating. 

 This is not a British species, but is introduced 

 here to give variety to the group ; it is a West 

 Indian Mollusk, and is found in immense numbers 

 in the forests of St. Vincent ; it glues its eggs to 

 the leaves of a plant which holds water, and thus 



