The Sentinel Shells - Family Assiminiidae

THE SENTINEL SHELLS - FAMILY ASSIMINIIDAE. Shell small, globose-conical, with sharp lip; operculum of few coils, horny, nucleus on the side; gills replaced by a pul monary sac; tentacles wanting; eyes on very long stalks, and the active mollusks appear to be keeping a sharp lookout for danger. Terrestrial or amphibious mollusks. Found in Europe, Asia and America.

Genus ASSIMINEA, Leach.

A. Francesim,

of India, one of the few species of this sole genus in the family, remains on land for days, "looping" along at great speed, exactly like a "measuring worm," using the snout and small foot alternately. The tentacles and the eyestalks that branch from them are of equal length.

Two Californian species have been reported.