120 Annals of the South African Museum. 



in which case Anton's name has priority, and the synonymy is 

 as under : — 



Phytia triplicata (Anton). 

 1839 Conovidus triplicatus, Anton, Verzeichniss, p. 48. D. 

 1842 Auricula recluziana. Petit, P.Z.S. p. 201. D. 

 1844 „ pepita, " King," Kiist., Conch. Cab. p. 35. PI. V (1843), 



f. 3-5. D.F. 



1855 Marinnla ,, ,, H. .t A. Adams, Gen. rec. Moll. iii. 



PI. LXXXIII, f. 2a. F. 



1856 „ „ „ Pfr., Mon. Auric, p. 59. D. 



1857 ,, „ „ ,, Cat. Auric, p. 44. D. 

 Hah. Chile. Eiver Maule {triplicata, Anton). 

 Colombia. Tumaco Island [recluziana, Petit). 



An altogether coarser form than P. acuta (d'Orb.) described from 

 Guayaquil m 1835, which much resembles this species. 



The Types of recluziana and acuta are in the British Museum ; 

 that of triplicata was in coll. Anton. 



III. — A Monograph of the Dorcasiinae. 



Until recent years, comparatively few shells and only three 

 or four live specimens of the desert snails of South Africa have 

 been available for scientific examination. Inferences regarding 

 the species were therefore often based on somewhat insufficient 

 material, while, although the genera Dorcasia and Trigoncplirus 

 were established and the anatomy of D. alcxandri and T. globulus 

 published, considerable doubt existed as to which genus some of 

 the allied species belonged. 



Since 1908, however, thanks to the researches of Dr. A. W. Eogers 

 and other able explorers, several comparatively large series of shells 

 have been gathered, including a most gratifying number of live 

 specimens. 



The result is that, through the kindness of Drs. Peringuey and 

 Thiele, Miss Wilman, and Messrs. Gude, Natermann, and Ponsonby, 

 I have been privileged to examine the most extensive assemblage 

 of these shells that has ever been got together ; in addition to which 

 Mr. Hugh Watson, of Cambridge, has dissected the spirit specimens, 

 and his reports, embodied in the following pages, are of the utmost 



