378 rEiiussACiD.T;. 



Various otlier authors, both before and since, have thought the 

 group Achatinoid, belonging to " Stenoyyra '" in the former wide 

 hmits of that term. ^Ve know too little of its anatomy to give a 

 definite opinion, but the presence of a glandular appendage 

 (appendix or flagellum) at the end of the penis is a feature unlike 

 any AcJiatinidce. The homology of this appendage is not certain, 

 however. The position of the ureter is unknown. ] have been 

 unable to obtain alcoholic material necessary for an investigation 

 of the relations of Glessvla to Suhulina, Homorvs. BaciUmu, and 

 Pseudorfhssida. 



" In most (but perhaps not all) species, the lip becomes slightly 

 blunt and smooth in fully adult shells, thereby differing from 

 Subtdina, which has an acute lip at all stages of growth. 



" In O. oropliUa, (Semper found in the uterus 4 large embryos 

 with shells having fully two whorls, and a small one with u half 

 whorl and very large caudal vesicle. Various other species have 

 been found to be viviparous, while others bring forth globular 

 eggs like tiiose of SidmUna. Like that genus, also, the Glessidcn 

 reproduce before attaining full size, 



" Glessida has been studied mainly by specialists on the Indian 

 fauna. Benson, W. T. Blanford, Eeddome, and Godwin-xiuslen 

 have chiefly contributed to the literature. JJlauford's ' Contri- 

 butions to Indian Malacology,' contniued through man}' years of 

 the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, contain a great mass 

 of information on this genus, as on many others of the Indian 

 fauna. 11 anley and Theobald illustrated most of the types of 

 Benson, amongst others, in their ' Conchologia Indica,' Finally, 

 Colonel II. H. Beddoine has recently reviewed the genus in his 

 ' Xotes on Indian and Ceylouese Species of GJessxdaJ 



" From the purely couchological standpoint we may be said to 

 liave an extensive knowledge of Glessida, yet \arious characters of 

 the first importance have been neglected. Tlie e-mhryonic v'Jwrls 

 of the tyi>es mast all be re-e.vamined, and their scidjdiire described. 

 Our ignorance of the embryonic sculpture of many forms prevents 

 any natural classification of the species. The surface of the later 

 whorls in all the species should be examined under high power, 

 since some species have a miiiute sculpture not visible with an 

 ordinary hand-lens. 



" J\"o fossil species of Glesstda are known to me.'* (Filsbry.) 



343. Glessula tenuispira, Benson. 



Aclintina temnsjnra, Benson, J. A. S. B. v, 1836, p. Sr)^ ; Pfeiffer, 

 Moil. Helic. Viv. ii, 1848, p. 262; Eeeve, Conch. Icon, v, 1849, 

 Achatina, pi. 16, tig. 76 ; Benson, A. M. IS. H. ser. 3, v, 1860, 

 p. 464 : Pfeitier, Conch.-Cab., Bulimiis, 1860, p. 310, pi. 2o, 

 ligs. 6, 7 ; Blanford, J. A. S. B. xxxiv, 1865, p. 95. 



Suhulinu t.enuisjnra, Adams, Gen. Bee. Moll, ii, 1855, p. 110. 



Achatina (S/fbulhia) tcmn'sjnra, Pfeitler, Malak. Bliitt. ii, 1856, 

 p. 169. 



