30 Records of the Indiaii Museum. [Vol. XVI^ 



and Cochin in Southern Indin, North Ben gal ^ Lebong and Kur- 

 seong in the Eastern Himalayas, Naini Tal in Kumaon, Western 

 Himalayas as well as in Ceylon. The specimen from Lebong may 

 be doubtful since it is headless, but the trunk markings are 

 characteristic of B. Proserpina, and the doubt is lessened by the 

 fact that the planarian fauna of the Eastern Himalayas is known to 

 include this species. Thus B. proserpina will probably prove to 

 be one of the most widely distributed land planarians in India. 



The species has been fully described by v. Graff in his mono- 

 graph and repetition is unnecessary; however, an interesting 

 feature of those collected is the extent of the variation of the 

 colour pattern apart from the mere differences of shade. The 

 typical colouration exhibits a- pair of closely approximated central 

 black stripes, which on the head expand into a crescentic patch 

 broken only bj^ a middle club-shaped extension of the thin pale 

 stripe which separates the median black lines ; and a prominent 

 black band extending from the ' neck ' and following the edge 

 of the trunk to the extremity (fig. i). 



The variations involve such changes in the typical pattern as 

 follow : 



The median lines may coalesce into a single broad band ; 

 associated with this, the central club-shaped expansion on the 

 head remains, though it may be reduced (fig 2). 



The same two lines may be quite faintly shown, and indicated 

 only as broken lines ; with this variation, the head pattern remains 

 characteristic (fig. 3). 



The median lines ma}^ be absent, and in this case the dark 

 crescentic head patch appears as an unbroken tract (fig. 4). 



In some cases the mediaii stripe^ may be more strongl^^ 

 marked than the laterals (fig. 5). 



The lateral bands may vary in breadth and usually are 

 stronger when the median ones are weaker; and vice versa. 



The lateral bands may be split along their whole length to 

 form a pair on each side (fig. 6). 



As regards the head pattern, the crescentic patch may be only 

 faintly indicated (figs. J,^); and in one specimen with coalesced 

 central lines, a forked design is produced, owing to the median 

 lighter piece opening out anteriorly (fig. 9). 



Pelmatoplana sarasinorum (v. Graff). 

 (Plate XI, figs, ir and 12.) 



Indian Museum Collection No. ZEV "^V'^ 



Dr. Gravely records that a specimen of this animal from 

 Ceylon was very dark above and paler beneath, with a dark 

 mid-dorsal line. The preservative has doubtless removed some 

 pigment and has also caused strong contraction of the body so that 

 the dorsal surface has become concave ; this latter feature is, 

 however, undoubtedly not natural, the animal, in life, being 

 practically cylindrical. 



