Mr. G. Barlee on some British species of Chcmnitzia. 485 



hyaline transparency, showing the entire columella^ a character 

 without the sUghtest variation in any of the specimens from its 

 four known localities. The Eulim.eUa acicula is long, narrow and 

 slender ; much flattened in the volutions, which have fine striulse 

 upon them, visible under a good Coddington lens ; it is often 

 much contracted at the upper and lower portions of the shell, 

 giving it rather a bulging appearance in the centre ; and although 

 subject to much variation of form as regards the flatness or tumi- 

 dity of the whorls, they are never rounded. It varies much as to 

 colour; some living specimens from Loch Fyne being opake, 

 china-white, while others are dull semi-pellucid. I would here 

 also undertake to separate a living example of either species from 

 hundreds of the other without a possibility of erring. 



I am quite confident that an inspection of my tablets of the 

 four species in question would leave Mr. Clark without a single 

 voice in favour of his opinion, and establish beyond doubt Odo- 

 stomia truncatula and Eulimella affinis to be two perfectly good 

 and distinct species. I cannot account for the practised eye of 

 my friend Mr. Clark having so deceived him, as to the specialties 

 of the two species in question ; for with the exception of himself, 

 I believe there has been but one opinion about them ; nor can I 

 conceive any other possible. I am not prepared, nor do I pro- 

 pose, to discuss the merits or pretensions of the other species dis- 

 carded by my friend, as I have only seen three or four »f them ; 

 and am inclined to agree with him in opinion as to many of 

 them, though without the examination of the animal there must 

 be great difficulty in determining species, more especially in the 

 absence of any very decided conchological characters. Yet at 

 the same time I must confess I am strongly disposed to think 

 that Odostomice, albella, dubia, decorata and clavula will here- 

 after prove to be good species. I perfectly agree with Mr. Clark 

 as to Odostomia dolioliformis being the Turbo Sandvicensis of 

 Walker ; I never had any other opinion ; I have long possessed 

 a fine series of the species. I also fully coincide with him as to 

 Chemnitzia rufa and fulvocinda being distinct. I have taken 

 them both at Plymouth and Falmouth, and the latter at various 

 parts of Scotland, but I never yet saw an approach to a spiral 

 band upon the former. I give Mr. Clark full credit for the 

 purity of his motives in wishing to drive away all pretenders from 

 this very select group of om- mollusks, and consider the public, 

 more especially students, greatly indebted to him for his im- 

 abated zeal, perseverance and talents displayed in purifying this 

 branch of natural history from much of its errors and imperfec- 

 tions, and thus facilitating the study of a most delightful science. 

 I am, Gentlemen, yoiu's very obediently, 



George Barlee. 



