11. INTRODUCTION. 



describe several new species, but I have been careful not to name a shell 

 unless it presented constant characters by which its specific distinction 

 is well marked, and by which it may be recognised by conchologists. I 

 consider the correcting of one error far more praiseworthy than the 

 creating of many new species without good reason and careful investiga- 

 tion. I quite agree with the learned botanist Sir J. D. Hooker, that 

 the naturalist " who has the true interests of science at heart, not only 

 feels that the thrusting of an uncalled-for synonym into the nomenclature 

 of science is an exposure of his own ignorance, and deserves censure ; but 

 that a wider range of knowledge and a greater depth of study are 

 required to prove these dissimilar forms to be identical, which any 

 superficial observer can separate by words and a name." 



Although several of our land shells, principally the larger forms, 

 have no allied representatives in Australia, the great bulk are closely 

 analogous to those recorded from the mainland. The following are common 

 to both : — Helix Morti ; H. JiU^Lifiy variety ; H. ruga; H. pictilis; ff, 

 Stardeyensis ; H. Hoharti ; R. Legrandi ; H. Otwayensis ; Vitrina Ver- 

 reauxij and probably Succinea Australis. At the present time very little is 

 known of the land shells of Victoria, principally owing to the paucity of 

 investigators in this branch of natural history in that colony ; but I have 

 little doubt but that in course of time it will be shown that our land 

 molluscan fauna does not differ to any material extent from that of the 

 mainland. Some few have a more or less close resemblance to those of 

 New Zealand, but they are so few as to be scarcely noticeable, and 

 there is a wide difference between the great majority of the forms. With 

 the exception of eight or nine species, the land shells of this island are 

 small and insignificant, but many are prettily coloured, and under the 

 microscope beautifully sculptured with more or less prominent strise. 

 A large number are restricted in habitat, so far as at present known, to 

 small areas, and with but very few exceptions are anything but plentiful 

 individually, and difficult to find, as the great majority live in tlie moist 

 densely timbered gullies and ravines. Very few are arboreSTO in habit. 



The genera Puikv, Puinna, Ilelicimi, Tornatellina are totally absent, 

 although well represented in Eastern Australia, and the first is well 



