XLIX. MOLLUSC A, IX. 

 By Lt.-Coi.onel H. H. Godwin-Austen, F.R.S. 



I commenced the study of the Genera Glessula, Plectotropis , 

 Hapalus, Clausilia, etc., now many years ago, when (associated 

 with William Blanford) the first Molluscan volume of the "Fauna 

 of British India ' ' was in preparation. 



With considerable trouble specimens preserved in spirit have 

 been got together and the animals examined. The final results 

 I hope to bring out in " Land and Freshwater MoUusca of India," 

 Vol. Ill, but the war has greatly delayed publication.^ 



As Helices of the section generally known as Plectotropis 

 have been received from the Abor Hills and Eastern Assam, I take 

 this opportunity of making known some of the results, which 

 include the description of a new species from Sikhim, another 

 from the Burrail Range ; what is known of P. huttoni of the N.-W. 

 Himalaya and of P. radleyi of Ceylon ; and of a large species allied 

 to Helix catostoma, as these are of much interest from the generic 

 point of view. Although this will increase the pages of the 

 " Zoological Results of the Abor Expedition," it will, I trust, add 

 to their value. 



Much of what I now communicate would have appeared in 

 Vol. II (1914) of the ''Fauna of British India," on which 

 I commenced work in 1912 with Mr. G. K. Gude, vide Preface to 

 that volume. This requires, if only in justice to myself, some 

 explanation. I gave up the task in 1913, for the following 

 reasons. It entailed constant visits to town, and much trouble, 

 as well as correspondence which took up so much time when at my 

 age I did not feel equal to it and when also I had a great deal of 

 other work to do. I tried hard with the Editor, with the India 

 Office, and printers but could not obtain the printed sheets in 

 galle}^ form as they had been supplied by the printers to Dr. 

 W. T, Blanford, at the time I was engaged completing and bring- 

 ing out Vol. I. Those who have ever been engaged on work of this 

 nature will understand how important this is in the final arrange- 

 ment of the sheets, especially when perhaps at the last moment 

 the receipt of material from India might upset all previous con- 

 clusions as to the generic position of a species. 



Having been able to bring together from various sources and 

 to examine a considerable amount of material, I am induced to 

 venture on some changes in classification following p. 200 of the 



' Should I be unable to publish these results the manuscript will be placed 

 with the described species in the drawers of the Blanford and Godwin-Austen 

 collections in the Shell Gallery of the British Museum ^Natural History). 



