BY DR. JAMES C. COX. 659 



About nine months ago I lifted from the bed of the river, at 

 its head, specimens of Vallisneria and other aquatic plants, to the 

 roots of which I found wire worms {Gordius sp.) adhering in 

 great numbers. Being anxious to observe the habits of life of 

 these worms, I placed the plants in a fish globe by themselves 

 and covered their roots with earth. A few weeks afterwards I 

 was surprised to observe in the globe the presence of several 

 specimens of Ancylus in a living state, and I had them carefully 

 cared for. The result has been that there are now in the globe 

 at least forty specimens. As a rule they reside at the bottom of 

 the globe, or as high up in it as the earth covering the roots of 

 the plants reaches, but a few are seen moving about a few inches 

 higher up adhering to the glass. 



A species of this genus has been described by Prof. Tate from 

 North Australia and the Hiver Torrens, Adelaide, as Ancylus 

 Australicus (Trans, and Proc. Roy. Soc. South Australia, Vol. III. 

 1880, p. 102). 



The genus Ancylus proper has its summit apex turned to the 

 left. There are six sub-genera recognised under the genus — 

 Ancylastrum, AcroloxuSy Cimiingia, Haldemania, Lanx^ and 

 Brondelia, but the only one I can recognise with a dextral apex 

 is Ancylastrum. 



As the shell which I now describe is undoubtedly dextral, I 

 conclude that it belongs to this sub-genus. 



CYPRiEA Irvinean^, sp.nov. 

 (PI. XIX., figs. 7-9). 

 Shell umbilicated, oblong-ovate ; pale cream-coloured, irregu- 

 larly sparsely spotted with minute pale yellowish-red spots ; 

 these spots have as a rule a transverse elongated form very 

 similar to Cyi^rcea Coffea, Sowb. ; subfasciate by depth of colour 

 on the dorsal aspect, and crossed transversely by subangulate 

 ridges which divide the dorsum into about six unequal parts. 

 The dorsal surface is well elevated, the sides being steep ; the 

 right margin is crenately grooved from end to end, the left well 

 grooved or sulcated in front and only slightly posteriorly, the 



