GASTEROPODA. 



183 



Graves, revived after being packed some for thirteen, 

 others for twenty months. Mr. Cuming brought many 

 new species from South America. The B. rosaceus he 

 found adhering to the under side of stones, generally 

 among bushes, and close to the edge of the sea shore 

 within reach of the spray. He also met with them at 

 the top of hills about one thousand feet above the sea; 

 they were adhering to the lower leaves of an aloe-like 

 plant. In the spring they burrow in the sand, and lay 

 their eggs about two inches below the surface. When 

 they hybernate, they adhere so fast to the stones and 

 plants that they can hardly be taken without breaking 

 the shell.* One species, the B. decollatus, as it advances 

 in age always loses the upper volutions; but whether 

 from accident or design appears uncertain. It, however, 

 generally closes up the broken end; and the probability 

 is, that as the animal enlarges in growth it recedes from 

 the smaller volutions, closes them up, and these neglected 

 portions fall off. Turton mentions a colony of them being 

 discovered in a greenhouse in Devonshire, lodged in the 

 earth under the wood-work, whence they wandered abroad 

 in the summer. No foreign earth was ever known to 

 have been admitted into the house ; and they were con- 

 sidered by the gardeners as natives. 



Other species are met with in such numbers (particu- 

 larly B. acutus, in some parts of Cornwall), that it is im- 

 possible to take a step without crushing them. It is the 

 prevailing opinion that they contribute much to fatten 

 the sheep which browse upon the herbage where they are 

 met with, which is principally on sandy maritime pastures. 

 Dr. Peoppig remarks that in some of the Society Islands 

 it is scarcely possible to examine the leaf of a shrub with- 



* Penny Cyclopedia. 



N 4 



