(Vol. viii., p. 33.)
The Surrey snails referred to by H. T. RILEY, are thus mentioned by Aubrey
in his account of Box Hill:
"On the south downs of this county (Surrey), and in those of Sussex,
are the biggest snails that ever I saw, twice or three times as big as
our common snails, which are the Bavoli or Drivalle, which Mr. Elias
Ashmole tells me that the Lord Marshal brought from Italy, and
scattered them on the Downs hereabouts, and between Albury and Horsley,
where are the biggest of all."
Again, Aubrey, in his _Natural History of Wiltshire_, says:
"The great snailes on the downes at Albury, in Surrey (twice as big as
ours) were brought from Italy by * * * Earle Marshal, about
1638."--Aubrey's _History_, p. 10., edited by John Britton, F.S.A.,
published by the Wiltshire Topographical Society, 1847.
The first of these accounts, from Aubrey's _Surrey_, I have quoted in my
_Promenade round Dorking_, 2nd edit. 1823, p. 274., and have added in a
note:
"This was one of the Earls of Arundel. It is probably from this snail
account that the error, ascribing the planting of the box (on Box Hill)
to one of the Earls of Arundel, has arisen. The snails were brought
thither for the Countess of Arundel, who was accustomed to dress and
eat them for a consumptive complaint."
When I lived at Dorking (1815-1821) a breed of large white snails was found
on Box Hill.