MADEIRAN GROUP. 147 



tinct darker bands observable in the H. Armitageana) there are 

 more or less evident traces along the dorsal region (or place of 

 the keel) of a broken-up fragmentary paler fascia, formed of 

 irregular-yellowish-white blotches. 



(§ Gonostoma, Held.) 



Helix actinophora. 



Helix actinophora, Lowe, Ga/nihr. Phil. S. Trans, iv. 45. 

 t. 5. f. 14(1831) 

 „ „ PMf., Mon. Hel. i. 140 (1848) 



„ „ Lowe, Proc. Zool. Sac. Lond. 180 (1854) 



„ „ Alb., Mai. Mad. 43 t. 11. f. 5-8 (1854) 



„ „ Paiva, Mon. Moll. Mad. 28 (1867) 



Habitat Maderam, Desertam Grrandem, et Desertam Aus- 

 tralem ; in intermediis editioribusque baud infreqiiens. Semi- 

 fossilis prope Canifal Maderse, necnon in summo Desertae Aus- 

 tralis (in hac sub forma minore, ' var. ^. deaoendens^ sequante), 

 reperitur. 



The H. actinophora is not uncommon at intermediate and 

 rather lofty elevations in Madeira proper ; and I took a single 

 example of it on the summit (a little beyond the central point) 

 of the Deserta Grrande, as well as an abundance of others in a 

 subfossil condition on the Southern Deserta, — from which island 

 it has since been received by the Baron Paiva in a living state 

 also. The subfossil specimens from the Bugio are a trifle 

 smaller than tlie Madeiran ones from Canipal, which are them- 

 selves smaller than the ordinary recent type ; and they have their 

 keel very acute, their umbilicus relatively a little narrower, and 

 their basal volution more deflexed at the aperture ; and I have 

 cited them in the present catalogue as representing a ' var. /3. 

 descendens.^ 



In Madeira the present Helix is to be met with both in the 

 moist shady ravines, and amongst loose rubble and coarse vege- 

 table detritus on the ledges of the abrupt submaritime cliffs. I 

 have taken it abundantly in the Kibeira de Sta. Luzia, above 

 Funchal, and also at the Eibeiro Frio ; and it occurs likewise 

 near S. Antonio da Serra, Sta. Anna, and elsewhere. 



In the H. actinophora^ (the larger examples of which mea- 

 sure from about 4 to 4^ lines across their broadest part) the 

 shell, although nearly opake, is thin in substance and well-nigh 

 subpellucid, and of a pale yellowish horny-brown, — often with a 

 faint olivaceous tinge, but uniformly free from streaks and 

 markings. In general contour it is lenticular or depressed, — 

 the basal volution being acutely keeled, but tumid and convex 

 beneath ; its umbilicus, although not large, is open and conspi- 



L 2 



