128 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XIV, 



Taia intermedia, sp. nov. 



Plate XV, fig. 13 ; plate xvi, figs. 7-9. 



I describe this form, as I have already explained, as a distinct species 

 purely as a matter of convenience in nomenclature, for it certainly 

 does not appear to be more than a fixed race of the inconstant species 

 T. naficoides. It will be sufficient, therefore, to note the differences 

 that distinguish it. 



The shell is always a little more conical than that of T. naticoides 

 and has the sculpture of the spiral ridges definitely nodular, but the 

 nodules are small. The main ridge of the body-whorl is not as a rule 

 strongly developed, but in some shells has a scaly character. Occa- 

 sionally definite squamous projections are present on this ridge, but 

 they are never spiniform and rarely arranged in a regular series. The 

 first four whorls of the spire are smooth, but there are at least two 

 nodular ridges on the fifth whorl. The aperture of the shell, though 

 somewhat variable, is relatively small and narrow. 



Total length ... 



Greatest breadth 



Length of spire (on dorsal surface) 



Length of aperture 



Greatest breadth of aperture 



Type-specimen. M. 11030/2, Zoological Survey of India {Ind. 

 Mus.). 



Shells are common in a subfossil condition in all the superficial 

 deposits of the He-Ho plain, but the species appears to be extinct. 



Taia obesa sp. nov. 

 Plate XV, fig. 19 ; plate xvi, fig. 2. 



This species is distinguished from T. naticoides mainly by its very 

 thick shell and more globose form. The two basal whorls are con- 

 siderably swollen, and the outline of the whole shell is less broken. 

 The ventral surface of the basal whorl is considerably swollen. The 

 aperture is very broadly ovoid, sub-angulate posteriorly and rounded 

 anteriorly. The columellar callus is broad, rather flat and very irreg- 

 ularly grooved in a longitudinal direction. 



Microscopic transverse striae are abundant and well-developed on 

 the protoconch, forming with the longitudinal striae a Well-defined 

 pattern like that of the web of fine cloth. The first five whorls are 

 otherwise smooth. There are either two or three well-defined low 

 spiral ridges on the sixth Avhorl, on which the microscopic pattern is 

 continued. The ridges are undulate on the surface. On the upper 

 part of the body-whorl there are two ridges that have a marked granular 

 character. The third ridge is more prominent and occasionally ex- 

 hibits a certain squamosity. Below it there are three lower undulate 



