X hityodiidion . 



this same shell as a 'species rarel}' met with on the mountains of 

 Hawaii.' Its centre of producflion is the Kohala range of moun- 

 tains, notably the most ancient portion of the island, and it now 

 exists there in unparalleled abundance. During a recent visit to 

 the locality, in a few minutes I colle(fled several hundred speci- 

 mens, picking them from trees and low bushes as rapidly as one 

 would gather huckleberries from a prolific field. The shell ap- 

 pears to be slowly migrating into the adjoining districts of Hama- 

 kua and Kona, and assuming new shapes and varieties of coloring. 

 One of these varieties in our cabinet is almost worthy of assign- 

 ment as a new species. The conchologists of a few centuries hence 

 will no doubt be naming Achatinella from the different distridls of 

 Hawaii of manifold forms and gaud)' colors, which have developed 

 through the mysterious processes of e\'olution from the now humble 

 A. physa of the Kohala mountains." 



Althotigh but a few years have passed since the above was 

 written, this same A. pliysa has been found on Hawaii in a large 

 variety of shades and colors, and with Ijeautiful dark bands, show- 

 ing that the changes of locality, rainfall, food and other conditions, 

 constantly tend to change the size and color of the shells. 



For study and comparison it is much better to have the shells 

 of a colle(5lion arranged according lo the localities in which they 

 live. Thus the descriptions of the Achatinella may be arranged 

 in the following sections, geographically : 



I. AcHATiNKLi-A (Syu. Apex). — I. Oahu, main mountain 

 range from s.e. to n.w. 2. Waianae Mountains. 



II. AcH.\TiNELLA.STKUM. — Oalui, main mountain range 

 from s.K. to N.w. 



III. Bttijmki.la. — Oahu, main mountain range from s.K. 

 to N.w. 



I\'. Paktulina. — I. Oahu. 2. Molokai. 3. Lanai. 4. Kast 

 Maui. 5. West Maui. 6. Hawaii. 



\'. Laminkij.a. — I. Oahu. 2. Molokai. 3. Lanai. 4. Maui. 



\'I. Pkkdicei.la. — I. Molokai. 2. Maui. 



VII. NicwcoMHiA. — I. Molokai. 2. Maui. 



\'II1. Amastra. — I. Oahu. 2. Molokai. 3. Lanai. 4. Maui. 

 5. Hawaii. 6. Kauai. 



