First row: Helix fidelis (California) Helix pomatia (Europe) Liguus fasciatus (Florida) Second row: Cyclophorus appendiculatus (Philippines) Bulimus chiliensis (South America) Third row: Helix albolabris (U. S.) Helix haemastoma (India) Fourth row: Helix profunda (U. S.) Nanina lamarkiana (Philippines) Glandina truncata (Florida) Fifth row: Zonites fuliginosus (U. S.) Achatinella (Sandwich Islands) Helix intorta (Philippines) Bottom row: Cerion microstoma (Cuba) Clausilia macarana (Dalmatia) Bulimulus multilineatus (Florida) Helix nemoralis (Europe)
One of the most wonderful and interesting facts connected with the radula is the large number of teeth on each membrane. Thus in some species of our common snails there are seventy-one teeth in a single row, and the whole radula is made up of a hundred rows of teeth, making a grand total of seventy-one hundred teeth in the mouth of a single snail!
Land snails are found almost everywhere, in valleys, high up on mountains, and even in deserts. They may be found in the cold climate of Alaska or in the tropical zone under the equator. As a rule, they prefer moist localities, where there is an abundance of vegetation and where the ground is strewn with rotting logs, beds of decaying leaves or moss-covered rocks. Open woodlands may be said to be their best habitat in the northern part of the United States.
The shells of the Pulmonata vary to a wonderful degree in size, shape and coloration. Some are so small that they can scarcely be seen with the unaided eye, while others attain a length of six inches; some have the aperture of the shell armed with numerous folds or teeth, while others are smooth and the colors vary from whitish or horn-colored to the gorgeously colored helices of the tropics with their bands and blotches of red, brown, white or green. With all this diversity the land shells or helices may always be distinguished from their salt or fresh-water relatives. The land snails breathe by means of a so-called lung which is a sac lined with a network of blood vessels and occupying the last turn or whorl of the shell. The air taken into this lung purifies the blood.
Much is written at the present time upon our new possessions, the Philippine Islands, but few people are aware that these islands are tenanted by the most interesting and beautiful group of all the land shells, the Cochlostylas, or tree snails. The animals live for the most part in the trees and bushes of the islands, the island of Luzon having, probably, the best known fauna. The animals are large and quite bold and the shells are of surpassing beauty, with their colors of white, green, brown, etc. Now that these islands have come into the possession of the United States it is to be hoped that these handsome creatures will receive the study they deserve.
The land shells of the United States, while numerous in species, are not as conspicuous in color-pattern as those of Europe, South America or the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, although California produces some highly-colored species, as will be seen by consulting the figure of Helix fidelis, on our plate. The majority of our species are uncolored, like the figure of Polygyra albolabris.
One of the largest and most interesting of American shells is the Bulimus, found in South America. The shell of Bulimus ovatus attains a length of six inches and the animal is correspondingly large. In the markets of Rio Janeiro this mollusk is sold as food and is eagerly sought by the poorer people, among whom it is considered a great delicacy. Another interesting fact in connection with this species (as well as others of the genus) is the size of the eggs which it deposits, they being as large as pigeons’ eggs. These are also eaten with avidity by the negroes of Brazil.
One of the most beautiful of the land shells found in the United States is the Liguus fasciatus, found in Florida and Cuba. The shell is about two inches long and is encircled by bands of white, brown and green. This species lives in great numbers at Key West, associated with many small shells of the Bulimus group. Closely related to the last-mentioned shell (Liguus) is the agate shell (Achatina), which attains a length of seven inches and is the largest of the land shells. Like the Bulimus mentioned above it lays eggs of large size with a calcareous shell, some being over an inch in length. Both the animal and the egg are eaten by the natives of Africa. The shells are very attractive, being variegated with different colors, like agate, from which they receive their common name.
Another of our new political possessions, the Hawaiian Islands, has a molluscan fauna peculiar to itself. This is the family Achatinellidae which is confined solely to the Sandwich Islands. There are no shells which can compare in beauty with the Achatinella with their encircled bands of black, yellow, white, red, etc. They live on the bushes, generally rather low and near the ground, and recently they have been threatened with extinction because of the cattle which have been introduced into the islands. In feeding on the bushes, they also consume large quantities of these snails. A bush inhabited by these little creatures must be a beautiful sight, with the green foliage set off by the handsomely colored shells, like jewels on a costly dress.
Among the edible snails none excel in public favor the common edible snail of Europe (Helix pomatia). The cultivation of this animal has become an established business, like our oyster fisheries, and thousands are consumed annually. The early Romans considered this animal a dainty dish, and the inhabitants of France, Spain and Italy have inherited or cultivated a liking for the succulent “Shell-fish.” This species has been introduced into New Orleans where it is eaten by the French inhabitants. Helix nemoralis, an edible snail of England, with a beautifully banded shell, is sold in the streets of London and eaten much as we eat walnuts, by picking out the animal with a pin! The edible snails, as well as many others, make good and interesting pets in captivity, the Helix pomatia being of such a size that it may be easily studied. It is interesting to watch one of these snails feeding upon a piece of lettuce. First the jaw is seen to protrude and to cut off a small piece of the leaf, which is drawn into the mouth and reduced to still smaller pieces by the rasp-like radula. A large piece of lettuce, after this snail has made a meal upon it, looks as if an army of worms had been at work. The pomatia is also of an inquisitive disposition and will wander about the snailery (or even the whole house if he can get out), examining everything in a very curious manner. No more interesting object can be placed in a library or study than a snailery with several species of snails. They are far superior in interest to goldfish or canaries.