NOTE ON SOME HELICOIDS FROM NEW GUINEA. 



By G. K. GuDE, F.Z.S. 



Read lith June, 1912. 



A SMALL collection of Helicoids receutly acquired by the Britisli 

 Museum was entrusted to me tor examination by Mr. E. A. Smitli, 

 Assistant Keeper of Zoology. These shells were collected by 

 Mr. A. 8. Meek near the Setikwa Kiver in Dutch Kew Guinea, and, 

 although few in number, are of interest from the fact that none of 

 the species represented have previously been recorded from the main- 

 land of New Guinea, while the habitat of Papuina j-hombostoma has 

 liitherto remained unknown. 



Planispiea (Cristigibisa) LEPiocHEiLA, Tapp.-Canef ri. 



Helix leptocheila, Tapparone-Cancfi'i, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, vol. xx, 

 p. 150, pi. i, figs. 14-16, 1883. 

 Three specimens. Typically this species is white with one broad 

 ■deep chestnut band above the periphery, and a rosy peristome ; one of 

 the specimens has this band, but it is pale brown in colour, wliile the 

 shell itself is pale fawn ; the second shell has in addition two very 

 narrow bands, one above and one below the broad band, while the 

 third specimen is similarly banded, \)\\t the median one is much 

 reduced in width, and the peristome is blackish-brown, this colour 

 being sulfused beyond the gibbous portion. It was originall)' taken 

 in the Moluccas. I possess specimens collected by Mr. Pratt in the 

 Aru Islands. 



Papuixa KnoMBosroiiA. Pfeitfer. 



Helix rhomhosloma, Pfeitfer, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1845, p. 72; 



Ileeve, Conch. Icon. Helix, 1854, pi. ccvi, fig. 1456. 

 Helix {Papuina) rhomhostoma, Pilsbrv, Man. Conch., ser. ir, vol. vii, 



p. 60, pi. xvi, figs. 14-15, 1891". 

 The single specimen received agrees fairly with the figure given by 

 Ileeve of Ifelix rhombostoma, a form wliich appears not to have been 

 ■collected since it was described by Pfi^itter. It is intermediate 

 between P. Tayloriana, Ad. & Peeve, and P. Trobriandensis, Hedley, 

 having more flattened whorls than the latter, and a less developed 

 beak at the aperture than the former. Its habitat was unknown, but 

 Pilsbry shrewdly guessed that the species should be looked for in 

 Southern jN^ew Guinea and its neighbouiing islands. 



Papuina Wallaceana, Sykes. 

 Journ. Malac, vol. x, p. 65, pi. vi, fig. 14, 1903. 



This species was originally brought home from Waigiou. The 

 type has six bands : one at the periphery, two above, and three below 

 it. The three specimens collected are somewhat more elevated in the 

 spire ; one has only one faint band peripherally, the second has one 



