The Nautilus. 



Vol. VII. NOVEMBER, 1893. No. 7 



NOTES ON PAPTJINA. 



BY CHARLES HEDLEY, AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM, SYDNEY, N. S. W. 



All Papuma^ are arboreal; this habit is as "good" a generic 

 character as any anatomical feature could be. Parenthetically, I 

 may remark, that my friend Mr. Brazier, who has probably gath- 

 ered more living Pajyuina than any other naturalist, agrees with 

 me that the|account (Ann. Mag. N. H, (4) xx, p. 242) of a Papuina 

 clinging half way up a reed in a brackish swamp is quite incredi- 

 ble. The usual position of Papuina is upon the trunks or limbs of 

 trees where an unpracticed eye might take it for a rough bit of 

 bark. In southern Europe the Macularia perch just so on precipi- 

 tous rocks ; indeed, I recollect there capturing an H. niciensis on an 

 olive tree in exactly the manner affected by the Papuina in New 

 Guinea. 



A small group of Queensland snails, viz, eonscendens Cox, fucata 

 Pfeiffer, and bidwilH Cox, seem to differ from the main body of the 

 genus in their habits. Not the stem or branches, but the leaves of 

 trees are chosen by these for their favorite abode. To suit the sit- 

 uation the shell has been modified until the contour would suggest 

 Partula rather than Papuina. The more conical shape has proba- 



^This name is now generally used for the conical Helices characteristic of the 

 Papuan and Solomon Island faunas, formerly called Gcoti-ochus. 



