Genus NEWCOMBIA Pfeiffer. 



Newcombia PFR., Malakozoologische Blatter, i, 1854, p. 117, 

 for A. Helena, physa, ornata, cwningi, plicata, newcombiana, cere- 

 alis, elongata. MARTENS, Die Heliceen, 1860, p. 249 (type A. 

 plicata Migh.) PEASE, P. Z. S., 1869, p. 649 (exclusive of 

 Sect. 2). SYKES, Fauna Hawaiiensis, p. 331.--BORCHERDING, 

 Zoologica, xix, Heft 48 ', p. 94. Newcombiana THWING, Occas. 

 Papers B. P. B. Museum, iii, no. 1, p. 138, 1907. 



Shell oblong-turrited, usually coarsely sculptured, the embry- 

 onic shell of 3-J- whorls having comparatively coarse spirals (8 

 to 12 spirals on the second whorl), the last embryonic whorl 

 longitudinally striped. Outer lip slightly expanded or not; 

 columella straight or weakly folded. 



Type N. plicata Migh. Distribution, Molokai and Maui. 



Newcombia, by its distinct, minute, decurrent, spiral striation, 

 and boldly striped last embryonic whorl, is clearly a specialized 

 group of Partulinse. It is here accepted as of generic value only 

 by reason of its considerable secondary modification in sculpture 

 and shape of the columella. Moreover those concerned with 

 Hawaiian faunas now generally use the group as a genus. It 

 is obviously not on a par, systematically, with the genera of 

 Amastrinee. 



N. carinella is the only dextral species known. 



Pfeiffer's list under Newcombia was heterogeneous, but con- 

 tained several species (cumingi, plicata and newcombiana) , now 

 included in the genus. Professor Von Martens, in 1860, selected 

 A. plicata as the type. His second section of the group contains 

 species of Laminella. Pease, in his classification of 1869, asso- 

 ciated species of Heteramastra with his Newcombias. These dis- 

 crepant forms have been eliminated by Hartman (1888), Bald- 

 win (1893), and subsequent authors. 



The distribution of closely related forms on Molokai and 

 Maui shows that the genus was developed in nearly its modern 

 condition while these two islands formed a single area. It is 

 somewhat peculiar that no Newcombia has yet been found on 

 Lanai, and I anticipate the discovery of the genus there, either 

 recent or as a fossil. 



