igig-] 



N. Annandale : Ronibav Streams Fauna. 



147 



Mclania scabra (Miiller). 

 (Plate V, fig. 6). 



1874. Melanin scabra, Brot, Melaniaceen in Martini and C'hemitz, 

 Condi. -Cab. 1 Ed. Kiisfer), p. 266, figs. 14, 15. 



Brot places this species in the group or subgenus Plotia, in 

 the definition of which he writes " Anfractibus superne angulatis 

 et spinulosis." This applies exactly enough to most young shells, 

 but, as Brot's own figures show, the spines and even the angula- 

 tion of the whorls disappear with age, and are not equally de- 

 veloped even in all young specimens. In our series from the 

 Medha River all intermediate stages are represented. In this 

 locality the shells reach a large size, but at Karla in the Poona dis- 

 trict a series of dwarfed shells was collected at the edge of a small 

 partially artificial reservoir situated at the base of the hill in 

 which is the well-known Buddhist cave monaster3^ Shells from 

 the two localities do not differ in shape or sculpture. 



We give measurements of two fully developed specimens 

 from each locality. In all cases the apices are somewhat eroded. 



Length Breadth 



Medha 



Karla 



The radula (fig. 6, pi. v) differs little from that of M . tuherculata. 



Though rarely as abundant as M. tuherculata and M. varia- 

 bilis^ this species has a wide range in the Indian Empire and as 

 far east as New Guinea. There are specimens of the typical form 

 in the collection of the Zoological vSurvey of India from Calcutta ; 

 Chaibassa, Chota Nagpur; the foot of the Garo Hills, Assam; 

 Madras (many localities in the eastern districts)., Bangalore 

 (3,000 feet); Nemunangad, Travancore ; Simla; Matelle, Ceylon; 

 Kawkareik, Amherst District, Tenasserim, etc. 



Genus Paludomus, Swainson. 



The distribution of the genus in Peninsular India is somewhat 

 peculiar. Numerous species have been described from the hill- 

 streams of South India, and also from those of Ceylon on the one 

 hand, and of Assam and Burma on the other. From the central 

 and northern part of the Peninsula, however, only one species 

 (P. obesa) is known, though many apparently suitable streams are 

 to be found. 



Paludomus obesa (Phillipi). 



(Plate V, fig. 7). 



This mollusc was found in considerable abundance on stones 

 covered with algae in a small stream at Khandalla. The stream 



