120 EXPEDITION OF THE "ALBATROSS," 1899-1900. 



the north side of the Island in tlie neighborhood of Papeete. Hainnta val- 

 ley lies between Piree and Fautaua, while Tipterui valley is situated to the 

 westward of Fautaua and is separated from it by three ridges. The base of 

 Pii'a3 valley is about two miles east of Papeete, while the foot of Tipterui 

 valley lies at the western end of the town, about three miles west of Pira3 

 valley. Maruapoo valley is situated on the western side of the Island in the 

 district of Punaauia, and is distant about eight miles from Papeete, while 

 Vaihiria valley is upon the south side of the Island, twenty-seven miles from 

 Papeete. Piroe, Fautaua, and Tipserui valleys are broad and well watered, 

 and contain a luxuriant growth of wild plantains and Caladium, upon which 

 the snails are found in large numbers. Ilamuta valley is a deep, narrow 

 trough lying between Pirae and Fautaua valleys. Few wild plantains are 

 found within it, and the Caladium is not very abundant. Indeed tlie ma- 

 jority of the snails obtained in this valley were found upon the leaves and 

 stems of Dracaena. Maruapoo valley is a narrow gorge with precipitous 

 sides. There is but little wild plantain in the valley, and almost all of the 

 snails were found upon the Caladium, which grows in abundance. Vaihiria 

 valley is one of the largest and longest in Tahiti. A stream about ten yards 

 wide and one in depth flows through the valley, and dense thickets of Tur- 

 meric extend for miles along its banks. The vegetation of this valley is 

 very varied, all of the chdT-acteristic Tahitian trees and plants being repre- 

 sented in great numbers. The Caladium and the wild plantain grow here in 

 abundance, but most of the snails were found ujion the wild Turmeric, almost 

 none being discovered upon the Caladium, and but few upon the leaves of 

 the wild plantain. 



In all of the valleys except Vaihiria the snails were found high up, very 

 few of them being captured below 200 feet above sea-level, while above 

 this point they grew more and more abundant as one ascended the valley- 

 bottom. In Vaihiria valley, on the contrar3', no snails were met with over 

 300 feet above sea-level, while they were found in considerable numbers 

 from an altitude of 100 feet to near sea-level. It is remarkable that in 

 Vaihiria valley, despite its luxuriant vegetation, and abundant supply of 

 water, snails were much less common than in any of the otlier valleys which 

 we explored. 



