CANARIAN GROUP. 355 



than in the //. Paivana. This particular state of the species 

 may be thus briefly defined : 



Var. a. subaucta. — paulo major, costis vix minus regulari- 

 bus, apertui-a submajore, peristomatis margine basali sensim 

 minus incrassato minusque curvato, fasciisque vix magis fractis. 

 — Diani. TTiaj. 9 lin. 



Helix saponacea. 



Helix saponacea, Lowe, Ann. Nat. Hist. vii. 108 (1861) 

 „ „ Pfeiff., Mon. Hel. v. 300 (1868) 



„ „ Mouss., Faun, Mai. des Can. 91. pi. v. 



f. 9-11 (1872) 

 „ „ Pfeif., Mon. Hel. vii. 350 (1876) 



Habitat Canariam Grandem ; in aridis saxosis ad El Charco, 

 ultra Maspalomas, copiose lecta. Necnon semifossilis reperitur. 



This flattened and lozenge-shaped, but uncarinated Helix 

 (the larger examples of which measure about 7^ lines across 

 their broadest part) is one of the most distinct species in 

 the archipelago, and one which was detected by Mr. Lowe and 

 myself, both in a recent and subfossil state, on dry rocky banks 

 in the low and remote district of El Charco, in the extreme 

 south of Grand Canary, — beyond the sandy wastes of Maspalomas. 

 We found it in tolerable abundance, in company with the H. 

 Despreauxii, d'Orb., and the H. pulverulenta, Lowe. 



Apart from its depressed but unkeeled contour, the H. sapo- 

 nacea may be known by its umbilicus being completely closed 

 over, and by its surface being uniformly covered (except in the 

 central area beneath, where it is paler and shining) with small 

 but sharply defined granules,- — caused by the breaking-up of the 

 fine and inconspicuous transverse lines of growth. Its spire, 

 although flattened, has the volutions somewhat convex ; and its 

 upper surface, which is slightly opake, is of a pale yellowish- 

 corneous hue ornamented with three more or less obscure red- 

 dish-brown bands, the aperture (which is much deflected) being 

 flavescent outside. Its peristome is white and highly polished, 

 as well as broadly expanded and reflexed, and the insertions are 

 wide apart and unconnected by an intervening lamina. 



Helix psathyra. 

 Helix psathyra, Lowe, Ann. Nat. Hist, vii, 109 (1861) 

 „ „ Pfeiff., Mon. Hel. v. 300 (1868) 



„ „ Mouss., Faun, Mai. des Can. 90. pi. 5. f. 8 



(1872) 

 „ „ Pfeiff., Mon. Hel, vii. 350 (1876) 



Habitat Canariam Grandem ; in inferioribus, intermediis, 

 locisque elevatis, late diffusa. Semifossilis rarius invenitur. 



