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



but they had no specific name attached, and none of Pfeiffer's 

 descriptions appear applicable to them. Circumstances however 

 favour the supposition that they may be Bradybcena monticola of 

 Beck, whose name was published in his Synopsis unaccompanied 

 by any description, and must necessarily be altered with reference 

 to the Himalayan shell with that designation published by 

 Hutton. 



The leaves and stems of the Palmiet, which choke the stagnant 

 waters of Hout Bay valley and parts of the Erste Rivier, the 

 exploration of which was equally impossible with that of the 

 mountain and of the precipice, may likewise nourish species as 

 yet unknown to science. 



Helix bisculpta, H. vorticialis and rariplicata of former papers 

 in this Journal, H. rivularis, cenea, &c. of Krauss, and the three 

 species next to be described, present, in their sculpture, a 

 peculiar feature which seems to pervade a large proportion of 

 the Helices of South Africa, giving a character to the species of 

 that region from which the locality of a specimen may generally 

 be recognized. In like manner other distinguishing traits, run- 

 ning through various modifications of form, have been noticed 

 in several local groups, for instance in those of Madeira, and of 

 the Philippines. 



2. Helix perplicata, nobis, n. s. 



Testa umbilicata, globoso-depressa, tenui, cornea, subdiaphana, utrin- 

 que oblique plicata, plicis subdistantibus, interstitiis longitudinaliter 

 striatis ; spira elevatiuscula, subconoidea ; sutura impressa ; apice 

 Isevi, obtuso, lutescente ; anfractibus 5-54^, convexiusculis, lente 

 crescentibus, ultimo leviter depresso, subtus convexiori ; apertura 

 rotundato-lunata, vix obliqua, peristomate simplici acute, margine 

 columellari tenui, superne breviter reflexo. 



Diam. major 7, minor 6, axis 4^ mill. 



Hab. in sylvis humidis, in stirpibus arborum fungisque putridis 

 prope Newlands, ad basin mentis Teufelberg, P. B. S. 



The obliquity and mode of sculpture, form, ratio of whorls, 

 and characters of the aperture, independently of other differences, 

 sufficiently distinguish this shell from the preceding, as well as 

 from //. (inea, Kr., which more nearly approaches it in figure. 



I found a single live specimen of this shell, in June 1846, 

 imbedded in an offensively scented fungus growing in the damp 

 woods between Newlands and the Devil's Mountain where it 

 adjoins the eastern face of Table Mountain. Dead specimen.s 

 (only one of which was perfect) occurred in the hollow stump of 

 a decayed tree at the same place. The living specimen was 

 broken soon after its capture in consequence of its extreme fra- 

 gility. A lengthened slender Limnx was abundant, feeding on 



A 



