32 LAND AND FRESHWATER 
and considers G. baculina, Hy. Blanford “only a more slender 
form of tenwispira” (Pl. CLIX. figs. 1, 2); he could not possibly 
have seen the types of the former species—the shell from the 
Khasi Hills (Teria Ghat) (Pl. CLIX. fig. 3) differs altogether 
from the Sikhim one, and when they are placed side by side the 
points of difference are seen at once. I still more doubt the 
extension of tenuispira to North Canara as well as to Pegu. 
In J. A.S. B. 1865, p. 95, Blanford says Achatinu tenuispira, Bens., 
of small size is common at Akouktoung and farther south. I refer 
to this under Glessula pertenuis, No. 8, Kast of Bay of Bengal. 
I have not at present the shells to examine. Geoffrey Nevill, 
‘Hand List,’ i. 1878, p. 169, records Darjiling, also Khasi and Dafla 
Hills; from these two last localities the shells were of my 
collecting, for when Nevill was studying the genus I snpphed him 
liberally with specimens. 
The first record of G. tenuispira appears in a paper entitled 
“Descriptive Catalogue of Terrestrial and Fluviatile Testacea, 
chiefly from the North-East Frontier of Bengal,” by W. H. Benson, 
Journal of Asiatic Society Bengal, June 1836, p. 350. 
(The Collection was purchased by the Asiatic Society in 1833.) 
No. 11. in the List.—Achatina tenwispira. 
Original description :—“ Z'’esta elongata turrita, cornea, longi- 
tudinaliter striata, versus apicem attenuata, columnari, anfractu 
ultimo interdum facilis, quibusdam albidis transversis ornato, 
suturis impressis wpice obtuso. 
«‘ Long. 1 poll. circiter ; Lat. 0°55. 
“This Achatina, belonging to De Ferussac’s subgenus Cochlicopa 
and to his group of //yloides, is remarkable for the attenuated 
columellar form of the terminal whorls of the spire.” 
(Followed by No. 12, Crassilabris). 
At the time this description was written, Benson had not seen 
a Darjiling specimen; he was then Magistrate and Collector of 
Sylhet, and there can be no doubt whatever typical tenwispira 
came from that district—most probably from that rich collecting 
place Teria Ghat, which lies on its northern boundary, where 
Benson also obtained the very well-marked species G. crassilabris. 
We are apt to forget how much we owe to Benson and Hutton, 
the pioneers in Indian Malacology, who, with little assistance and 
encouragement, did so much. Looking back to the early thirties 
and the many papers Benson lived to publish, it is noticeable how 
much his remarks increase the interest in the species he discovered, 
how much is suggested as to relationship and distribution. The 
brothers Blanford followed with the same scientific treatment. In 
comparison the record of to-day, with few exceptions, is bald to a 
degree, owing to a want of knowledge of the physical features of 
the country, its size, and varying climatic conditions. 
