Mr. W. H. Benson on some new species of Helix. 103 



XI. — Descriptions of five new species of Helix fTom the Cape of 

 Good Hope, with remarks on the known South-African species, 

 and a notice of several Cape Limaces. By W. H. Benson, 

 Esq. 



1. Helix bisculpta, nobis, n. s. 



Testa perforata, orbiculato-depressa, translucente, parum nitida, subtus 

 cornea, supra rufescente, utrinque eleganter confertissime striato- 

 plicata, plicarum verticalium interstitiis longitudinaliter striatis- 

 simis, striisque spiralibus decussatis ; spira depresso-convexa ; 

 sutura profunda ; apice Isevi, obtuso ; anfractibus 4\ convexis, 

 lente crescentibus, ultimo rotundato, subtus convexiori ; apertura 

 verticali, lunata, peristomate simplici, acuto ; columella arcuata ; 

 margine columellari crassiusculo, supra breviter late reflexo, lami- 

 nam triangularem efformante. 



Diam. major 7, minor 6, axis 4|- mill. 



Hab. sub lapidibus ad Camp's Bay, P. B. S. 



The interstices of the plicse have a somewhat similar sculpture 

 to that of Krauss' H. Loveni from Natal, but the two shells differ 

 altogether in form and other characters. It is more depressed, 

 and the whorls are more closely wound than those of H. eenea, 

 Krauss, which is also a Natal shell. 



Helix bisculpta inhabits the declivity of the rocky terrace which 

 intervenes between the western face of Table Mountain and the 

 Southern Atlantic Ocean. Seven specimens occurred, in April 

 and May 1846, at the same spot where I had the good fortune 

 to capture a specimen of Paussus Burmeisteri, harbouring under 

 loose stones. This station, in common with all the localities of 

 my new Cape species, was explored on crutches ; but from the 

 frequent excursions made, it is probable that little was left to be 

 gleaned in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town, in places ap- 

 proachable by a wheeled conveyance. However, it is not unlikely 

 that on the summit and sides of Table jMountaln, more especially 

 in the lofty umbrageous nooks at the base of its mural face on 

 the eastern side, towards the Teufelberg, which are occupied by 

 indigenous arboreal vegetation, a conchologist enjoying unfettered 

 action might meet with novel forms. Those friends who had 

 power to scale these points, and who received instructions how 

 to search for shells, returned empty-handed ; but their want of 

 acquaintance with the aspect of these creatures in their haunts, 

 and deficiency in the particular zeal necessary for the pursuit, 

 sufficiently accounted for their failure. In connexion with this 

 remark, it may be observed, that a small brown solid, exumbi- 

 licate, and smooth Helix, marked " from Table Mountain,^' is to 

 be seen in the British Museum. Specimens presented by the 

 Earl of Derby, as well as by Mr. M'^Gillivray, were observed; 



