160 



ON A NEW EEVERSED TASMANIAN HELIX. 



HELIX WELDII. 



Bt the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.G.S., Cor. Mem. Rot. See. 



Sydney and Tasmania, and of Lin. Soc, N.S. Wales. 



[Read October 9th, 1876.] 



A very few years ago the island of Tasmania was regarded as 

 being poor in land shells, t>ut thanks to the zeal and activity 

 of many naturalists, especially Messrs. Legrand, Atkinson and 

 Petterd, the number of species brought to light is now very 

 large. If the island cannot take a leading position for the 

 number and peculiarity of its forms it has by no means an 

 insignificant one. Up to a recent period the description of 

 the species were scattered over an immense number of 

 scientific works according as they had been described by 

 various observers in different countries. Within the last few 

 years Mr. W. Legrand has published a monograph of all the 

 then known land shells, accompanied with extensive notes on 

 the habits, and very excellent figures of the newer species. 

 What gave the work a greater value was that it was for the 

 most part privately printed by the author, the whole of the 

 work being done by his own hand. This work leaves but 

 little to be desired, though new species are of frequent occur- 

 rence. It is remarkable that our land shells are entirely distinct 

 from the Australian fauna, except in a few doubtful cases, and 

 some of the forms are beautiful and peculiar in a way that is 

 so marked as to enable us to call it " Tasmanian." I have now 

 to bring under the notice of the Society a new species of 

 Helix which has the additional singularity of being a reversed 

 shell. Helices with a sinistral whorl are uncommon. Out of 

 the vast number hitherto made known, including every variety 

 of form in the genus, I believe I am right in stating that 

 very few more than a dozen are reversed, and this sinistration, 

 if I may be allowed to coin a word, is not confined to any 

 particular section of the genus so as to elevate it to generic 

 importance. It is remarkable, however, that hitherto as far 

 as I am aware it has been only found in Helices of China, the 

 Indian Archipelago, and in the Indian Peninsula. It is, I 

 may say, a tropical peculiarity, but, at least, no such form has 

 as yet been hitherto found in the Southern Hemisphere. The 

 present species is very small, confined, as far as we know, to 

 one restricted locality on the north-west side of the island. It 

 was found by Mr. W. F. Petterd. I have done myself and 

 the Society the honour of dedicating it to Her Majesty's re- 

 presentative in the colony, His Excellency the Governor, 

 F. A. Weld, Esq., CM G. The following is the diagnosis : — 



Helix Weldii. n.s. H.t. Minuta sinistrorsa, anguste 

 umbilicata^ turhinato- discoidea, tenuiuscula, nitente, striis confertis, 



