310 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



slightly expanded, there is no umbilicus, the 

 spire is small, and not much raised, the form 

 of the shell being almost globular ; the sur- 

 face is wrinkled, and 'the lines of growth 

 apparent, the aperture is large and rounded. 

 The animal is large and grey, with wrinkled 

 skin, the eyes are at the points of the longer 

 pair of tentacles. They are found abundantly 

 all over Britain, in gardens, woods, &c. 

 They are used as an article of food on the 

 Continent. 



Pomatia- — -Vs has already been men- 

 tioned, this is the largest of our land shells, 

 being a larger species than the preceding. It 

 is globular in form, with the spire slightly 

 raised, the whorls rounded, and wrinkled in 

 the direction of the lines of growth, the lip is 

 a little expanded, and is turned back over 

 the umbilicus, almost concealing it. It is 

 pale fawn-color, with three dark bands. 



This is the edible snail of the Romans, 

 who kept them in places specially constructed 

 for the purpose, called CochUavia, where they 

 were tended and fattened as a delicacy for 

 the table ; they are still considered a desir- 

 able article of food in many places on the 

 Continent, they are not so esteemed in this 

 country, but are sometime-; used medicinally 

 as a cure for consumption. They are only 

 found in the Southern Counties of England, 

 where they have besoms naturalised ; it 

 appears uncertain at what date they were 

 introduced, some writers being of opinion 

 that they were brought by the Romans while 

 they held possession here, others placing the 

 date at something like three centuries ago. 



ArbustoriliTl. — This shell is much 

 smaller than either of the preceding, being 

 not much more than three quarters of an 

 inch across, it is somewhat globular, but 

 rather flattened, the spire is rounded, the lip 

 is white, and turned outwards, it almost 

 covers the umbilicus; the color is brown 

 marbled with yellowish, and it is generally 

 encircled with a dark, narrow, well defined 

 band. The animal is blueish, or greenish 

 grey. It may be found throughout Britain 



in woods, and similar situations. 



Nemoralis- — By far the most gaily 

 colored of our land shells, this species pre- 

 | sents an almost infinite variety in its mark- 

 ings, it is rather larger than Arbustorum, 

 round, without umbilicus, lip slightly ex- 

 panded, aperture rather oblique. The ground 

 color is frequently yellow, sometimes white, 

 sometimes pink, it is usually banded with 

 dark brown, the bands varying in number, 

 breadth, and intensity of coloring, in some 

 specimens they are interrupted, in others 

 wanting altogether, the lip is sometimes 

 i brown, sometimes white. The animal is 

 ; greyish yellow. It is very common, and may 

 : be found about hedges, woods, and gardens, 

 sand hills on the coast, chalk cliffs, &c. 



Cantiana. — This is a smaller shell, 

 | rather flat, spire very slightly raised, um- 

 bilicus rather small, lip a little expanded, the 

 lower part of the shell is reddish brown, 

 paler above, the top part of the spire being 

 dull whitish. It is found about hedges, 

 chiefly in chalk districts in the south-east of 

 England. 



Carthusiana. — Smaller than the last 

 named, measuring about half an inch across 

 the shell, rather flat, spire not much raised, 

 very small umbilicus, lip slightly expanded. 

 The shell is whitish, inside of the lip is 

 reddish, with a pure white rib round the 

 aperture. This also is found in the South- 

 east of England, on the chalk downs. 



Pisana. — The shell is about as large as 

 that of Arbustorum, and of similar form, it is 

 whitish, with short black or brown lines, 

 forming interrupted bands. It is found in 

 the south-west of England, and south-east of 

 Ireland on sand hills on the coast. 



Virgata- — This is a rather smaller shell, 

 of similar form to the last, with the spire 

 rather more raised, with an umbilicus, lip 

 ribbed within. The color is white or 

 yellowish, banded with brown. It is found 

 most abundantly near the sea on sand hills 

 and chalk cliffs. 



Pasciola^a. — Smaller than the preced- 



