1919. | N. ANNANDALE & B, PRASHAD: Mollusca. 35 
The operculum has a distinct notch at the lower margin but 
is otherwise very like that of M. tuberculata, except that it bears 
fewer curved transverse striae. 
Nevill named this variety from specimens from Pishin (not 
to be confused with the Pishin north of Quetta) and other locali- 
ties in Persian Baluchistan and from Kalagan and Kerman in the 
south-east of Persia proper, and we have seen a rather dark shell 
from lower Mesopotamia. 
Type-series. The specimens from the first of those districts 
may be regarded as the type-series, No. M. 11541/2, Zoological 
Survey of India (Ind. Mus.). 
This form is not uncommon in small springs in the desert of 
Baluchistan and the Persian frontier. We collected specimens at 
Saindak and Robat in water distinctly salt to the taste, and at 
Hurmuk in fresh water. The following description of the animal 
is copied from the station book of the expedition :— 
‘“Foot hardly longer than broad, subquadrate, with both ex- 
tremities subtruncate; the antero-lateral angles acute and slightly 
produced. The snout long, flattened, rather narrow. The ten- 
tacles very slender, as a rule hardly longer than the snout. Pro- 
cesses at margin of mantle elongate, pointed, 7 or 8 in number. 
Sole of foot greyish white, with a faint tinge of pink and an 
indistinct grey border, spotted with microscopic yellow specks. 
Dorsal surface of foot, whole of snout, tentacles and edge of 
mantle black, the snout clouded with white, especially towards 
the base, the tentacles minutely speckled with dull yellow, the 
mantle processes edged and tipped with black. The animal 
moves with the ordinary jerky gait and holds its shell parallel to 
the surface when moving. When at rest the apex is often held 
sloping upwards.’’ 
var. luteomarginata (Nevill). 
(Plo iv figs 5.) 
1885. Melania tuberculata subvar. luteomarginata, Nevill, op. czt., p. 244. 
This is a very beautiful and distinct variety distinguished by 
its regularity of form, colouration and sculpture. It is, however, 
linked by intermediate individuals with the var. flavida. The 
form is narrower than that of M. pyramis (s.s.), but the difference 
is not great. The colour is a deep chocolate-brown without red- 
dish markings but rendered distinctive by the narrow paler spiral 
band that runs down the shell just outside the suture. The 
lower part of the inner margin of the mouth of the shell is also 
of the same colour. The sculpture, except at the base of the 
body-whorl, has a regular granulose appearance due to the fact 
that the longitudinal striae are numerous and not much deeper or 
broader than the transverse ones, and there is a narrow flattened 
ridge outside the suture. At the base of the shell only the trans- 
verse, spiral striae are developed. The shell is moderately thick. 
