Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

15 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

—B—Oft THE THAMES MYSTERY.

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A NATURALIST'S NOTES

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

A NATURALIST'S NOTES AROUND TENBY. THE PINK-LIPPED SNAIL. (HELIX PISANA) Every one, even the most casual observer of nature, must have noticed the immense numbers of snails which swarm on many parts of the Bur- rows and cling to every available leaf and grass stem on the cliff in front of the Esplanade. They are all, or nearly all, individuals of the above named species-a shell which is so local in its distribution that. its only obtainable in two or three other places within the United Kingdom, and nowhere in the same abundance as at Tenby. In form this shell is subglobular, slightly com- pressed above, convex below, rather solid and opique, ground colour yellowish white, beanti- fully marked with brown spiral bands (there being sometimes as many as 15 or 16 on the last whorl), more or less marked with short oblique transverse streaks of the same colour, which gives a speckled appearance to the upper part of the shell; mouth forming three-fourths of a circle, interior some- times pink or blush-colour, and furnished with a slight rib which is either pale yellowish, white, or pink; the latter colour is said to be deeper and brighter in specimens which are exposed to the sun. Draparnaud says that this colour is more perceptible in the shells of those individuals which have been kept a long time without food, or after their death. Specimens often occur of various shades of yellowish white, sometimes quite white, the latter being the var. alba. Most snails during the day-time seek some kind of shelter from the sun, but Helix Pisana may be seen adhering to the stalks and leaves of grass in the most open situations, and exposed to the full blaze of the summer sun. On the approach of winter they bury themselves in the sandy soil at the roots of grass, &c. This species seems to be very partial to paper as an article of diet; a piece placed in their haunts is soon covered with hungry mollusks, and if confined in a paper lined box, the lining quickly disappears. Helix Pisana and many other members of this genus are very tenacious of life, and will live for a very long time without food. The writer has some Helices which were sent from the South of Spain in the autumn of 1887, and which a few weeks ago were alive and well. though they h-ul been closely con- fined in a small wooden box without any kind of food for nearly two years A more remarkable case has been related by Dr Baird. who says a specimen of the Desert Snail (Ii. desertorwmwas fixed to a tablet in the British Mu-eum on the 25tb of March, 1846, and on March 7th, 1850, it was observed that it must have come out of its shell in the interval, as the paper bad b. en dis- coloured apparently in its attempt to !el away, but finding escape impossible had again retired, closing its aperture with the usual glistening film; this led to its immersion in tepid water and i.ar- vellous recovery. So that on March !3 h, 1850, after nearly four years fast, it was alive and flourishing As before remarked, H. Pisana is very local in its distribution, and from some un- accountable reason does not seem to thrive in other localities though the soil and herbage is the same. They extend in lessening numbers to Giltar Head, and a few occur at Sandtap Bay, Caldy Island formerly there was a small colony at Coppitt Hall, near Saundersfoot, but these have now I believe died out. Although the extensive range of sandhills beyond Pendine appear in every respect similar to those at Ten by, not a single Helix Pisana can be found. The late Dr. Jeffreys twice tried unsuccessfully to introduce this species on the sandhills near Swansea, and several lots I sent a friend in the North did not long survive the change. AMPHIBIAN.

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THE THAMES MYSTERY.

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GENERAL NEWS.

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MR. RUSKIN ON WALES.

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