396 MAI^UAL OF THE MOLLUSCA. 



12. Australian Kegion. 



Both Fauna and Mora of Tropical Australia are distinct from those of New , 

 South Wales and Tasmania, the principal barrier being the desert character of I 

 the interior ; but the localities of the landshells have not been defined with 

 sufficient accuracy to shew whether they are equally distinct. The most ; 

 complete list is given by Prof. E. Forbesj in the Appendix to Mc Gillivray's -i 

 Narrative of the Voyage of H. M. S. Rattlesnake (1846-50) ■ it specifies 48 

 Helices (of which H. fomum is the most conspicuous), 10 Bulimi, an Achatina, 

 6 Vitrinas {Hellcarion) belonging to the main land, and one from the Lizai'd 

 Islands, and a dextral Balea (australis). Pupa and Helicina {Gouldiana) are 

 only found on the islets off the N. E. coast, and Pupina {hilinguis) at C. York j 

 and the adjacent islets ; a portion of the province which is densely wooded, 

 and lies within the rain region of the Asiatic Islands. Cyclostoma bilabre 

 of Menke's Catalogue is probably West Indian, The fresh- water shells of ' 

 Australia are Planorbis Gilberti, Iridinae ? (Victoria R.) Vnio auraius, CU" 

 cumoides, superbus, {Hyridella) australis, Corbicula 4 sp. Cyrena 3, Cyclas 

 egregia (Hunter B..)Pisidium semen and australe, the last common to Timor. 



13. S. Australia and Tasmania. 



From extra-tropical Australia we have the following: — Helix 9, Helica- i 

 rion 2, Bulimus 2, Succiuea 1 (common to Swan R. and Tasmania) Limax 



olivaceus, and one Ancylus. Two of the largest land snails, Heliu: Cunning' \ 



hami and Falconeri, are found in N. South Wales. The coasts of this region i 



are thinly wooded, but much of it is rendered desert by want of rain ; in j 



N. S, Wales droughts recur at intervals of twelve years, and sometimes last i 



three years, during which time scarcely any rain falls. \ 



14. New Zealand. 



The moist and equable climate of these islands (which have a mean temp. \ 

 of 61° — 63°) is favourable to the existence of numerous land snails. Nearly 

 100 species of land and fresh-water shells are akeady determined, and are all i 

 peculiar ; the genus Helix musters 60 species, some of which (including the 

 great H. Biisbyi) resemble in shape the European Helicellae ; Bulimus 3 ; 

 Balea (peregrina), Vitrina 2 of peculiar form, Tornatellina 1, Cyclophorus 

 cytora and Omphalotropis egea. There are two slugs, Limax antipodarum 

 and Janella bitentaculata ; two ivtsk-viaXex pulmonifera, Physa variabilis and 

 Latia neritoides ; several marine air-breathers, — Oncidium {Fero?iia) 2, 

 Siphonaria 3, Amphibola 1 {avellana). The other fresh-water shells are 

 Melanopsis trifasciatus (a Lusitaniaa type), Assiminea antipodarum and 

 Zelandise, Amnicola? corolla, Cyclas Zelandise and Uuio Menziesii and 

 Aucklandicus. 



Vitrina zebra is found at the Auckland Islands. 



