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7. Notes on South African Mollusca. By M. CONNOLLY. 



I. SOME SOUTH AFBICAN Tiarinae. 



IN explanation of the above title, I would point out that, as the 

 " Museum Boltenianum," 1798, is now accepted as valid in questions 

 of nomenclature, Bolten's Genus Tiara : ' ; must take precedence of 

 Melania, Lamarck, 1799.1 



Bolten placed in Thiara five species : 



The first is Helix amarula, Linnet 



The second, which he named cancellata, appears to be identical 

 with setosa, Swainson, J in which case Bolten's name has priority. 



The other three names are nude. 



As amarula, Linne, was selected by Lamarck as the Type oi 

 Melania, and is the only species included by him when founding his 

 Genus, it is obvious that Melania becomes a synonym for Tiara s.s.,, 

 and is not even entitled to sub-generic rank. 



The Subfamily Melaniinae therefore becomes Tiarinae, and, if the 

 group of shells formerly classed as Melaniidae be considered worthy 

 to rank as a distinct Family, Melaniidae gives place to Tiaridae. 



I say if, because Bouvier has shown that the nervous system, 

 and other portions of the anatomy in such species as coslata, 

 Q. & G., amarula, Lin., and tuberculata, Mtill., present almost 

 exactly the same relations as in Cerithium vulgatum, Brug., and 

 Moore, |] in his article on the Family Melaniidae, transfers this whole 

 group to the Cerithiidae, as constituting simply the freshwater 

 contingent of that Family. It seems doubtful, however, whether the 

 generality of conchologists will concur in uniting two groups, one 



* Mus. Boltenianum, Hamburg, 1798, part ii. p. 109 (as Thiara). 



t Mem. Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris, 1799, p. 75. 



J Quart. Journ. Sci. Lit. Arts, 1824, xvii. p. 13. 



Ann. Sci. Nat. Paris, 1887, iii. pp. 125, 127, 153-156. 



|| Proc. Mai. Soc., 1899, iii. p. 230. 



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