110 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



convexiusculis ; apertura grandi, lato-ovata, ; labro subexpanso ; columella 

 tenui, incurvS, et contorta. 



Hab. Rutersville, Texas, Prof. G. G. Forshey. 



S. pellccida. Testa, elongato-obliqna, laevi, nitida, pellucida, alba, pertenui ; 

 spira exserta, acuminata j suturis irapressis ; anfractibus quaternis, vix con- 

 vexis ; apertura. grandiuscula, ovata ; labro subexpaDSO ; columella tenui, in- 

 curva et contorta. 



Hab. United States. 



Since I published, in 1841 and previously, a number of new species of Sue- 

 cinea, Dr. Barney's Terrestrial Shells of the United States has appeared. In 

 vol. 2d, pages 65 and 66, he gives eight of my species with the Latin diagnoses, 

 and says he had seen Wardiana, Totteniana, Nuttalliana and aurea, but has no 

 knowledge of the others, except what he derived from descriptions and figures. 

 He says that, " on a careful examination, it appears to us that S. aperta and 

 S. aurea are well established species; that Wardiana is synonymous with 

 avara, Say ; Totteniana with ovalis, Say ; Nuttalliana with ovalis, Gould ; inflaia 

 with campfstris, Say ; that retusa is probably synonymous with ovalis, Gould ; 

 and that Oregonensis cannot be at present ascertained.'' All naturalists must 

 regret introducing this kind of confusion in a difficult branch of science, and 

 had Dr. Binuey given more time to the subject, my types being always open 

 to his inspection, I cannot doubt but that he would have avoided this attack 

 upon my species. His editor, Dr. Gould, has in part corrected his synonymy, 

 and Mr. W. G. Binney, in the continuation of his father's beautiful work (vol. 

 4), makes further correction of these hasty and erroneous criticisms. Dr. Gould 

 says that Nuttalliana " no doubt is a well marked species;" of course it is not 

 ovalis, Gould ; that Oregonensis is "decidedly a well marked species." Totteniana, 

 Dr. Gould Bays, differs from ovalis, Say, that " it is a thinner and more fragile 

 shell, propoitionally more ventricose in form, with a shorter spire, a larger 

 aperture," &c. Mr. W. G. Binney says, in vol.4, p. 34, that in regard toinflata 

 he "is inclined to doubt its specific weight." On a careful examination and 

 comparison of specimens with campestris, sent, to me as such by Dr. Ravenel, 

 from Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, I find these agree with the description 

 of Mr. Say and Dr. Binney, except that the full-grown specimens show a fourth 

 whorl, aud not three, as both authors state in their description. This, I think, 

 arises from their mode of counting. If a fourth whorl can be seen on a speci- 

 men, even if it be not complete, I always count as four whorls, as fractions 

 cannot conveniently and correctly be enumerated in small shells. My inflaia 

 has but three whorls, is smoother, more inflated and more obtuse in the spire. 

 With these differences it ought not to be made a synonym until more observa- 

 tions, under better circumstances, should prove it to be such. As regards Tot- 

 teniana, Mr. W. G. Binney says he " agrees entirely with Mr. Lea and Dr. Gould 

 in separating it from obliqua, Say." 



After a careful examination of the original specimens, with the addition of 

 subsequent acquisitions, I am perfectly satisfied of the correctness of my first 

 convictions, as to there being eight species, which Dr. Binney would reduce to 

 two, and they may be stated as follows : 



S. aperta, Dr. Binney allows to be established. 



S. aurea, Dr. Binney allows to be established. 



S. retusa, Dr. Binney says is probably ovalis, Gould. It differs, nevertheless, 

 in being retuse at the base and iu being less inflated. 



S. Wardiana, Dr. Binney says is synonymous with avara, Say. But Wardiana 

 is a more slender species, and is more oblique. It is evident that Dr. 

 B. figures two species under this name, pi. 57c. 



[April, 



