RK-244

Germantown - Pa. Feb. 9^th 1857

Dear Sir -

I have recieved your favor of Jan. 31 - and shall in due time have the snails you kindly sent through D^r Leconte - I will delay mailing this until I have examined them.

I have sent by mail care of "Prairie Banner" as you requested, a copy of my edition of Say's land shells. If you do not receive it, let me know, and give me freely the names of any freinds who may desire a copy. Some papers sent to Boston for publication will follow the pamphlet, when printed.

I rejoice at the prospect of so fine a chance to become acquainted with our land shells as you will have, and of bringing to light, without doubt, some new species. The addition you will make to our knowledge of geographical distribution will be of great value to us. I hope you will call on me for any assistance you may need ; you shall have it promptly - my time is spent in studying out this subject, in which I find still much to be done, notwithstanding the labors of my father.

It will give me great pleasure to label any species of which you may be in doubt. If your species are in any way published, don't fail to give careful descriptions of all of them. Local catalogues are often in error, and lead

to errors regarding the habitat of species, when no diagnosis is given. For instance, Lapham enumerates Helicina orbiculata (instead of occulta) as an inhabitant of his state, when it is really a Southern species, found no farther North than Tennessee. D^r Lewis, also, cites Helix lucubrata for inornata. The former is a Mexican species.

The plates of my father's work are now in the hands of the binder - when they are out, I shall request D^r Gould to send you a copy (at what address?) of the 3 volumes. This will assist you beyond all I can do, as there are figures of all the species, known in fathers time. In many of the remarks on species I do not agree with him, as more light has been thrown on the subject by 12 years more of investigation. In my proposed work I shall endeavor to correct the errors.

In the proper places you will many remarks on the habits, food, hiding places &c. of the snails. I can hardly add any hints to assist collecting which you will not find there - or on studying their habits, food, &c. when in captivity. I have many species breeding in my room, in boxes, feed on lettuce &c. and constantly moistened by wetting the earth daily. Place chalk in the boxes, or they eat each others' shells. Remove the eggs, which the old old ones devour.

Spring is the best time for collecting - as soon as the buds are expanding. Our species are subterranean - Look round the roots of plants, under last year's dried grass, and even two or three inches under the surface in loose rich soils of woods. Woods are the best places, excepting pines of

other evergreens:- in ravines, on the banks of little streams, under leaves - and, above all, for the smaller species, under bark on decaying stumps and in the interstices of moist wood. I sometimes throw decaying wood in their haunts as traps - Later in the season, they only come out during the night and early in the morning, or after warm rains - Some species are found under stones in pastures - and some live entirely among the grass, or on hill sides. Your new species will probably be small and microscopic - so keep a sharp eye on the tiny fellows - among the little Pupae. Try to find some living Helicinia occulta, to settle beyond a doubt its existence now. Mr Lapham was kind enough to send me specimens undoubtedly recent, but not alive. It is under dying out, having been in great quantities formerly, as shown by the fossils.

I hope you will be on this way some time, as I should delight in showing you my suite of terrestrial shells - I have my fathers also. I have undertaken to arrange the collection of the Academy - you must deposit anything remarkable in our museum, as it is by far the best in the country.-

Don't hesitate to call on me always for all I can do to assist you, and believe me, yours truly

W.G. Binney

When you commence a collection let me assist you.