28 



The Museum Gazette 



SEASONAL NOTES. MAY. 



British Snails. 



May is a good month for the shell collector. Warm showers 

 draw many snails from their retreats. Sand hills on the 

 coast, and gorse bushes on inland hills are good collecting 

 grounds for Helix nemomlis ; the best time is an hour or two 

 after a storm. Helicogona lapicida may be found in large 

 numbers on limestone walls. 



Clausilia pevevsa {== nigosa), C. laminata and Buliminus obscurus 

 should be searched for in beech woods early in the month. 

 Before June arrives they will all have ascended the trees, 

 where they will remain until October. 



The white variety of Clausilia laminata is not uncommon on 

 beeches in some districts. It may be met with around 

 Heyshott Down, near Midhurst, Sussex. 



It would appear that the very rare Helix obvoluta should be 

 looked for in company with these. Ralph Tate wrote as 

 follows respecting its habits : " The principal locality for this 

 shell is Ditcham Wood, Hampshire, where it may be found 

 in abundance, but may be overlooked by one who is not 

 familiar with the habits of this mollusk. The snail, like 

 Bulimus montanus, is a great climber, and may be seen on the 

 trunks of Fagus sylvatica as far up as the eye can distinguish 

 them, a peculiarity that is not noted in our manuals. One, 

 then, who would be repaid for his shell hunt must take 

 pattern from that, that he would secure, and ascend the trees ; 

 for amongst the moss and leaves at the base only dead 

 specimens are met with. Living specimens of all ages show 

 the epidermis clothed with hairs." 



