2 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Induced by these expressions of discontent, ]\Ir. A. H. Cooke nndeitook 

 an enquiry,'* "On tlie Generic Position of tlie so called VJnjuie of Australia." 

 He noted several probable sj-nonyniic assemblages of tlie species. On higher 

 taxonomic levels he showed b}' radnla characters that this group should 

 be eliminated from Fhnsa and linked with I'lunorhis. For its gejieric 

 name he selected BiiJimis proposed by Adanson in 1757. Unluckily foi' 

 that conclusion, Adanson was a pre-linnean and not a binoniial writer; his 

 nomenclature is, therefore, ineffective. Apparently the place of Buh'niis 

 may be taken by BulU^nis which accoi-ding to Hei'rmannsen, was dnl}' 

 proposed by Oken. 



Chiefly on the evidence of the radnla, Cooke classifies BnlJiiim^ as 

 " not so much a sinistial Liiiniaen as a spiral Flavoyhis.'" Reference of 

 Bnlliuns and Isadora to the family Planorbidaj is furthei- supported by the 

 ciliated epidermis and by the filiform tentacles figured by Lesson,^ Tate'' 

 and Cobb,' as well as by the non-digitate mantle figured by Chapman.*^ 



This group presents tlie student with exceptional difficulties. The 

 species appear to vary exti-emel}' and to limits not yet ascertained. With 

 the honourable exception of Tate's essay in the Zoology of the Horn Ex- 

 pedition, the literature has multiplied names and ignored variation. Jn 

 the present state of a world war the usual help fi'om correspondents, such 

 as comparison of specimens or drawings, cannot now be obtained. Wlien 

 a time of peace comes it will be necessaiy to institute a fuller comparison 

 between our species a-nd their reputed types abroad. Thus no positive 

 conclusions are advanced and the matter that follows is presented rathei' 

 as a means to further inquiry than as the finished result of investigation. 



A chance handful from an}' pool is likely to present individuals with 

 a longer and with a shorter spire. The first lesson to be learnt in studying 

 this group is how changeable a chai'acter is this elevation of the spire. 

 The piesence or absence, spacing or punctuation, of spiral sculpture, can 

 not be used as a safe guide to spe('ific differentation. These features are 

 the imprint of spiral threads or lines of cilife in the epidermis. But the 

 epidermal coat varies in development according to local cttiuiitioiis, so 

 that lines of ciliae, which would appai-entl}' be otherwise developed, seem 

 to be I'epressed in unfavourable environment. Yet some geographical 

 series suggest that there are species which never develop such cilia\ 



A more abundant supply of lime allows a deposit on the innei' lip 

 and hence longitudinal streaks that mark previous rest stages. 



The wi'iter gralefnlly acknowledges the kindness of the Dii'ecfor of 

 the National Museum, Melbourne, for the loan of types of Tenison Woods. 

 Mr. C. J. Gabi'iel, who kindly relinquished in my favour the task of 

 reporting on this material, also generously' assisted me with the loan of 

 specimens and with infoi-mation. To j\[iss P. F. Clarke and ]\{iss .1. K. 

 Allan, I am indebted for the illustiations which accompany this [lapei-. 



•• Cooke— Proc. Zool. Soc, 1889. ])p. 136-143. 



5 Le.sson — Zool. Voy. Coquille. 182(5. pi. xvi., fi":. 5. 



« TatP— Horn Exped.. Zool.. 1896. \A. xix.. fig. 25. 



7 Cobh— .\<,M-ic. (iazptte N.S.Walps, ix.. 1898, p. 182, ti-,^ 2. 



» Chapman— Mem. Nat. Miis. M.'Ui., v., 1914. pi. i.. f'lo-s. 2-;i. 



