JVorth American Helicidw. 43 



"It considerably resembles Helix nitens of Europe, particularly in 

 being whitish beneath, and will be properly arranged next that species 

 in the systems," 



Say's figure, of which the annexed is a fac-simile, is unintel- 

 ligible, — it shows 3^ to 4 whorls only. He gives no 

 measurement in his description, — the largest diame- 

 ter of the figure is 9 mill. 



Through the kindness of Mr, "W. G. Binney I am enabled to 

 publish the following extracts from a letter addressed in Sep- 

 tember, 184:0, to his father, the late Dr. Amos Binney, by Dr. 

 Grifiith. 



" Il.fuliginosa^ same as luctibrata^ and this last name should 

 perhaps be adopted, as I never published, except in cabinets ; it 

 was well known by this name long before Say published, but 

 by the laws of nomenclature he is entitled to priority. There 

 has been some dispute as to the identity of this {fuliginosa)^ 

 inornata^ and what is genei'ally considered as glajyhyra^ but I 

 think they are distinct. H. fidiginosa has five whorls, dark 

 colored, umbilicus large, lip internally white ; inornata is 

 smaller, lighter colored, umbilicus partially covered, five 

 whorls, shell not shining; what is called glaphyra has five 

 whorls, horn colored, shining, umbilicus partially covered. 

 These three sliells are closely allied, but I think dis- 

 tinct," 



" H. glaphyra, the original specimen of this shell, I have often 

 seen and studied, and always considered it as nitens. It was in 

 the collection of the Academy of Sciences, but being broken 

 was probably discarded when the Cabinet was arranged — the 

 shell usually known as glajphyra is that alluded to above," 



Dr, Grifiith, it seems, at the date of the above letter, con- 

 sidered his fuliginosa and II. lucuhrata Say to be identical — 

 referred to the species now known under the name of II Icevl- 

 gata Raf. as 11 inornata Say, and to II. inoi'nata Binney as 

 the si)ecies usually known as II. glaphyra^ — at the same time 



Ann. Lyc Nat. Hist. Vou VI. No. 10 et skq. SEPTEMBER, 185S 



