THE NAUTILUS. 



69 



cially when one considers how much can be found with a simple 

 outfit, and a few ounces of energy. No doubt the same is true of 

 the whole country. A person once said to the writer "your hobby 

 is the most fascinating I know. Every one admires shells." Per- 

 fectly true, but far too many are afraid of mud. I don't know of 

 any success without a bit of the disagreeable work. 



THE LAND MOLLUSCA OF ALDABRA. 



BY MAXWELL SMITH. 



Mr. E. Dupont, who is now residing at Hell Bourg, Reunion, has 

 been fortunate in obtaining specimens and information of this group. 

 The Aldabra Islands are situated in the Indian Ocean to the north 

 of Madagascar and between the Conoro and Mascarene groups. Not 

 many years ago the land moUusca of Aldabra were unknown, in fact 

 not a single species had been recorded from the islands. Mr. Dupont 

 writes me as follows. Aldabra was visited by an American, Dr. W. 

 L. Abbott, in 1892, who published an account of the birds in the 

 Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum for 1895. 



The island was visited by a German, Dr. Vodtykon in 1895, ac- 

 counts of which were published. I do not think that these mention 

 land shells. In September, 1906 my cousin, Mr. R. Dupont, Cura- 

 tor of the Botanical Station at Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles, investi- 

 gated these islands on behalf of the Seychelles government. He 

 collected the shells which I now send to you. 



At last, quite recently an English naturalist, Mr. Fryers, has 

 been staying there during several months; to complete the geological 

 observations made by Prof. Sardina, on the separation of the islands 

 in the Indian Ocean. 



So now the natural productions of this island, which was for long 

 a terra incognita, will now be fairly known. Judging from the shells, 

 it has more affinities with the Comoro Islands than with the Mas- 

 carene. 



The shells known are as follows: 



Ennea sp. Grande Terre. The Picard. lies Vertes. Closely 

 allied to the common E. dentiens. May prove to be new. 



Kaliella aldabraensis, n. sp. To be described by Col. Godwin 

 Austin. 



