Short Communications* 379 



My friend Babingtoii having sent me two specimens of his 

 new Malachius, in order to make a sketch of it to illustrate 

 his note, I have given representations of both of them, as 

 they appear to be the sexes ; h being evidently a male, and 

 c a female, individual. This is a material point, from the 

 peculiar structure of the extremity of the elytra, which thus 

 appear to be appendiculated in both sexes of this species. 

 The same occurs in Malachius bituberculatus Steph. In M. 

 ruficoliis, on the contrary, the female, at least, has simple 

 elytra. I only possess this sex, and do not know the struc- 

 ture of the elytra of the male ; but in some species, as Mala- 

 chius rubricoilis and /julicarius, the males have the extremity 

 of the elytra irregular, and the females have it simple. In 

 other species, M. bipustulatus and se^ieus, the elyfra are 

 simple in both sexes. The construction of these terminal 

 appendages of the elytra is very curious, and apparently dis- 

 similar in the different species, requiring a more minute in- 

 vestigation than has hitherto been given to it. — J, O. West- 

 'wood. The Grove, Hammersmith, April 4. 1834. 



Information on the Limneus elongdtus Turton ; on the 

 British Limnei generally ; and a Notice of the Difficulties *mith 

 which British Conchology is at "present beset, — In answer to 

 W.W. (p. 161.), I beg to observe that the genus Limneus is 

 at present ill understood ; many of the species being ill defined, 

 and no two authors, except mere copyists, agreeing which are 

 veritable species and which varieties : in fine, it may be truly 

 designated " rudis indigestaque moles" To disentangle the 

 species, and rectify the errors of authors, would, I fear, in 

 the present state of our knowledge, require greater talents 

 and perseverance than fall to the lot of the generality of 

 mankind. Neither the influence of external circumstances, 

 nor the great differences observable in the various periods of 

 growth, appear to have been hitherto sufficiently investigated ; 

 and a correct monograph on this genus would not only require 

 the lyncean eye of a Jenyns [V. 374.], but the searching skill 

 of a host of less accomplished auxiliaries. Linnaeus describes 

 only three or four species, which have been recognised as be- 

 longing to our country ; while my manuscript list of the British 

 land and freshwater shells (and which I intend shortly to have 

 printed) enumerates no fewer than twelve or thirteen kinds 

 which appear to me worthy of specific distinction. 



With respect to the Limneus elongatus Turton, Helix 

 octanfracta Montagu, H. octona Pennant (p. 161.), and Lym- 

 nae^a leucostoma Lamarck, they are all synonymes of one 

 species. W. W. is, however, mistaken in supposing that the 

 figure 32. in p. 161. is a correct delineation of the above 



