P A R T U L A 



Genus PARTULA, Fmmac. 

 Testa parviuscula, acuminato-ovata vel oblonga, basin versus 

 •plerumque oblique produda, paruni umbilicata, anfrac- 

 tibus qnitiqiie ad sex, plus minus Icevibus, lineis impres- 

 sis spiralibus minute insculptis, columella incrassatu, 

 plano-appressd, aperturd subquadrato-ovatd, labro late 

 planirejlexo, interdimi calloso. 

 Shell rather small, acuminately ovate or oblong, generally 

 obliquely produced towards the base, but little um- 

 bUicated, whorls five to six in number, more or less 

 smooth, minutely engraved with impressed spiral 

 lines, eolumella thickened, flatly appressed, aperture 

 somewhat squarely ovate, lip broadly flatly reflected, 

 sometimes callous. 

 Partula is the Polynesian type ol' that tribe of suads 

 which is represented in other parts of the world by the 

 genus Bulimus ; and it is questioned by many whether, 

 under these cu-cumstances, seeing that there is no difterence 

 in the soft parts, it claims to rank as a genus. The Par- 

 tula have a strong peculiarity of form, plan of colouring, 

 and even of sculpture. The shells are distinguished by a 

 comparative uniformity of size and substance, and all are 

 more or less conspicuously engivived with fine spiral im- 

 pressed lines; whilst the apertm-e is peculiar in being 

 produced somewhat obliquely, and in having mostly an 

 auricular aspect, owing to the callous thickening of the lip, 

 which is invariably broadly flatly reflected. 



De Fe'russac was the first to note the particular local 

 character of what may be termed the Biilimi of the 

 Pacific Islands, and the present genus, by which he pro- 

 posed to distinguish them, obtained consideral)le addi- 

 tional interest from the species added to it by Mr. 

 Broderip, from Mr. Cuming's gleanings in that locality. 

 The views of De Perussac and Broderip have not been 

 adopted by Dr. Pfeift'er, but they appear to be very gene- 

 rally followed by collectors in this country ; and the cha- 

 racters above recorded for generic purposes render the 

 species easy of detection. 



There is one species, P. auricula, which dift'crs from the 

 typical character of the group in having two elevated 

 plaits entering into the aperture, one upon the columella 

 and another upon the body-whorl, which does not a])pear 

 to be a modification of the callosity often present in that 

 part of the shell. It is much smaller in size, and might 

 prove hereafter to constitute the type of another genus. 



Species 1. (Fig. a, b, c, Mus. Cuming.) 

 Paktula rosea. Part, testa pyramidali-ovatd,unihHicat(i, 

 basiu versus oblique productd, temdculd, anfraelibus 

 pluno-convexis, spiraliter minute impresso-lineatis, an- 

 fractu ultimo obsolete angulato, aperturd quadratn- 

 ovali ; castaneo-rosed, inierdtim luteofasciatd, aperturte 

 fauce nunc alba, nunc rosea tinctd. 

 The rose Partula. SheU pyramidally ovate, urabili- 

 cated, obliquely produced towards the base, rather 

 thin, whorls flatly convex, spirally minutely ini- 

 pressly lineated, last whorl oljsoletely angled, aper- 

 ture squarely oval ; chestnut-rose, sometimes banded 

 with yellow, interior of the aperture white, or stained 

 with rose. 

 Broderip, Pro. Zool. Soe. 18.33, ]). 1:3.5. 

 Hab. Huaheine, Society Islands ; Cuming. 



Distinguished by its acuminated form, which is obso- 

 letely angled towards the base, then produced somewhat 

 obliquely. The shell is moreover of light substance, ami 

 delicately coloured more or less with dark chestnut-rnsr 

 and yellow. 



Species 2. (Mus. Cuming.) 



Partula brumalis. Part, testa subacumuiato-obloiujd, 

 umbilicald, anfractibus spiraliter minitte impresso-li- 

 neatis, aperturd ovatd, columeUd labroque late reflexis ,■ 

 faho-castaned, labro albo. 



The W'Interly Partula. Shell somewhat acuminately 

 oblong, umbilicated, whorls spirally minutely im- 

 pressly lineated, a))erture ovate, lip and columeila 

 broadly reflected ; fulvous-chestnut, lip white. 



Hab. ? 



Closely albed to P. Guamensis. from wliicli it differs in 



being of a more oblong acuminateil form ; it is of one 



unifonn colour throughout. 



Species 3. (Fig. « and 4, Mus. Cuming.) 

 Partula i.ntlata. Part, testd conico-ovatd, umbilicald, 

 spird breviusculd, anfractibus valde inflatis, ultimo un- 

 (jidalo-gibbosis, concentrice rude striatis, spiraliter 

 iiuiinte iiiipresso-lineatis, lineis undulatis, aperturd 

 jiiin-/ii.^ci<hi, columelld labroque latissime planirefie.i:is ,- 

 nllju vel palUde cinnamomed, epidermide tenui indutd, 

 labro albo. 



