• 
354 Helix. MOLLUSCA. Bulimus. 
semilunar, or roundish. The margins are distinct, and 
7th March, 1850, attempting to escape from “ durance 
the peristome is thickened or* reflected. 
vile.” The shell being removed from the tablet and 
The species of True Snails are very numerous ; and 
placed for a few minutes in tepid water, the animal 
as they present a great many variations of form and 
comifietely revived and lived for more than twelve 
general appearance, they have been divided into many 
months afterwards. In cool or cold climates snails 
genera. — See Plates 6 and 7 (several genera and 
become torpid in winter. They retreat, before the cold 
species). Including these, the number of described 
has benumbed their powers, into some snug quarters 
species exceeds twelve hundred, while some hundreds 
under stones, clods of earth or moss, or in crevices of 
more have not yet been characterized. They are 
old walls, &c. Some dig into the ground, forming an 
world-wide in their distribution, being found in all parts 
excavation or nest in which they bury the shell, and 
of the globe, in Europe, Asia, Africa, both Americas, 
then close the aperture with a sort of temporary oper- 
and Australia. To the north they are found ranging 
culum of a thick calcareous nature, called an epiphragm. 
as far as the limit of trees, and to the south they extend 
Here they remain till the return of spring calls them 
to Terra-dcl-Fuego. They are most abundant, how- 
forth again from their state of hybernation. In hot 
ever, in warm countries and moist situations. “ M. 
climates a similar degree of torpidity takes place ; and 
d’Orbigny observed six species at elevations exceeding 
during this state of estivation, as it is called, they remain 
eleven thousand feet in South America ; and Layard 
perfectly quiescent, and form the same kind of oper- 
found H. gavdeneri at the height of eight thousand feet 
culum, or epiphragm, to protect them from the drying 
in Ceylon.” — (^Woodward.) They are most active by 
etfects of the external atmosphere. Snails afford food 
night, and that is their chief season for seeking their 
to some kinds of birds, as the missel-thrush, &c., and 
food. This consists of vegetable substances, and, like 
in their turn are often eaten by omnivorous man. At 
the Slugs already mentioned, they frequently commit 
the present day they are comparatively little used as 
great devastations in our fields and gardens. The most 
au article of food ; but amongst the ancient Romans, 
destructive species, perhaps, in this country is the 
the H. pomatia (hence called the Roman snail) was 
common garden snail. Helix aspersa; while in the 
in great request, “ not from any peculiar relish for such 
wine countries of France, the Roman snail, H. pomatia, 
tasteless food, but from a belief m their aphrodisiacal 
is very destructive to the vine, especially when it is 
virtue.” — (Johnston.) The snails were kept in depots 
just putting forth its tender buds and first leaves. 
called Cochlearia, and fattened carefully with a “cer- 
Snails are truly hermaphrodite, each individual uniting 
tain paste made of cuit and wheat meale.” — (Holland's 
both sexes in itself ; they are not self-impregnating, 
Pliny.) The same author states, on the witness of M. 
however, the union of two individuals being necessary 
Varro, th.at these snails grew to an enormous size. In 
for the propagation of the species. On the right side 
Sicily several species of Helix are eaten, and the Bra- 
of the neck, contained within a small cavity, we find 
zilians are said also to eat snails. In this country and 
several small bodies of a horny crystalline substance 
in France they are used for their supposed virtues in 
called darts. They are shaped somewhat like a bay- 
diseases of the chest and lungs. 
onet; and during the love season, according to popular 
The Genus Succinea. — The Amber Snails have a 
accounts of the snail and its doings, the animals are 
thin, ovate, or oblong shell, with a short spire and a 
said to shoot these darts at each other from their quiver. 
laige aperture. It is not umbilicated, and the peris 
when the two individuals are about two inches apart. 
tome is simple and sharp. It is generally of a delicate. 
“The existence of the darts,” says Dr. Johnston, “in 
horny, or amber colour. The animals are of a vesicular 
some few species of Helix is certain ; while the power 
structure, are large compared with the size of the shell. 
of the snail to throw them from its reservoir is ima- 
and are not quite retractile within it. The species are 
ginary!” Their eggs are pretty numerous, and in geneial 
rather numerous, about seventy having been described. 
are spherical or oval. The outer coat is opaque and 
and are found in all the four quarters of the globe. 
hard, consisting of carbonate of lime, the particles of 
though more especially abounding in temperate climates. 
which are gradually and successively deposited over 
They are amphibious in their habits, living amongst 
the whole of its inner surface. The Roman snail, H. 
plants in damp situations, but rarely entering the water. 
pomatia, deposits only about fifteen eggs, while our 
Genus Bulimus. — See Plate 7, fig. 3 (Bulimus 
common species lay from thirty to fifty. Generally 
ovatus). The Bulimi are animals of a moderate size. 
they are deposited one by one, but placed in little heaps. 
inclosed within the shell, which is oblong or turreted. 
and their colour is usually bluish-white or pure milk- 
and composed of many whirls. The aperture is longer 
white. Snails are long-lived, and have a wonderful 
than wide ; the peristome is thin or reflected, rounded 
degree of tenacity of life. Many interesting instances 
in front, and in many species the shell is umbilicated. 
are recorded of the resuscitation of snails, after having 
The species are very numerous, upwards of six hundred 
undergone a long suspension of their vital powers. One 
and fifty having been described. They are found in all 
of the most wonderful examples of this recovery from a 
parts of the world, and vary much in shape and appear- 
“long slumber” has been related by the writer of this 
ance. Like the Helice.s, these animals abound most in 
article in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History 
warm climates, and, like them, pass the dry season in a 
for 1850. The individual alluded to was a species of 
sort of torpor or deep slumber, buried at the roots of 
the snail of the desert, H. desertorum, brought from 
ti'ees, in moss, or in the thick brushwood, and having 
Egypt, and attached to a tablet in the British Museum 
the mouths of their shells covered with a pretty solid 
on the 25th of March, 1846. In this imprisonment it 
epiphragm. They have the same power also, as the 
remained for four years, having been discovered on the 
Helices, of undergoing long fasts ; and instances have 
