OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 83 



see shells as he sees them. If this be true of such full and precise 

 diagnosis as those of Adams and Gould, how much greater must 

 be the difficulty to foreigners of recognizing shells from the brief 

 descriptions of Broderip, Lamarck, and the older writers 

 generally."* 



I make these remarks because in the species with which I 

 propose to deal it will be seen that different authors have 

 described differently even when those authors were of such high 

 authority, as Quoy and Gaimard, and Baron Ferussac ; and I 

 trust, as our Australian sience advances, and as old errors are 

 cleared away, the philosophers to come will as much distinguish 

 themselves by modesty, patience, justice, and candour, as zeal 

 industry, and self sacrifice have adorned those who have passed 

 away. 



The variations on the shell I now call attention to are 

 instructive in another way. They show peculiarities which mimic 

 even generic differences in marine shells. Shape, color, and size 

 are often relied upon as specific distinctions, and in many 

 instances no doubt they are. But in Bulimus Dufresnii,'^ the size 

 varies in an extraordinary degree, and so does the color, but 

 within certain limits. If it were not for those limits, the shape 

 would lead us astray, for it varies from almost cylindrical to 

 globular. But the lip is at times sinuous to an extent which 

 would make it like a Daph7iella among marine shells. All these 

 variations in what is undoubtedly the same species are not 

 dependent either upon climate or station, and they point to one 

 useful conclusion, which is, that land shells may vary so widely 

 and completely that there is no antecedent improbability that our 

 numerous species may be found to belong to a comparatively few 

 specific types. 



The shell now under notice belongs to the genus Bulimus 

 [BovKifiia great hunger or voracity) which was erected by 

 Scopoli in 1786. J I need not give any reference to the host of 



• Review of Prof . C. B. Adams Cat. of the Shells of Panama, by Philip P. Carpenter, 

 B.A , &c. Zool. Soc. Proc. June, 1863. 



t Written B. Diifrenii by Quoy and Gaimard, in order, I suppose, more completely to 

 Latinize the name. 



X In his Delicice Faimce at Flor. Insubr., according to Brugiere but more probably in 

 the Introcl. ad Hist. Natur., Pragv£, 1777. 



