IREDALE : LAND MOLLUSCA OF THE KERMABEC ISLANDS. 365 



being registered in ten months, and an equable climate, the minimum 

 thermometric record being 50° F., the maximum just under 90° F. in 

 the shade. Such conditions would suggest a veritable paradise for 

 land molluscs, especially as there seems to be little bird life to molest 

 them. However, all the animals found were very minute, and well 

 distributed. Before proceeding to the island I looked up the 

 literature regarding New Zealand Laud Molluscs, but found little 

 was recorded of the habitats of the species published. I therefore 

 made a simple rule of "search everywhere". One result was tbe 

 finding of some snails in most unlikely places, and as I have always 

 been interested in the habits of the animals as well as in the shells 

 I now offer my observations. 



The bush consisted of various kinds of trees, nikau palms, and 

 tree-ferns ; the undergrowth was chiefly fern. The most ai)uudant 

 tree, the poutukava of Polynesia, was disliked by all molluscs, only 

 very ranilj- the con^monest species being found thereon. On account 

 of the pumiceous nature of the soil it did not hold water, and therefore 

 the wet quickly disappeared after rain. In the crater there were 

 three lakes, two of large size ; these were, however, of a mineral 

 character; the third, of very small size, was fresii. In the west bay 

 was a large freshwater swamp, and there were besides two very small 

 permanent springs. I did not, however, find any freshwater molluscs, 

 thouj^h I constantly searched for them. I also noticed that the 

 wettest portions of the bush did not yield anything out of the 

 common, but rather that molluscs generally were scarcer in such places. 

 Immediately upon landing a snail was found, which is the one 

 recorded by Pfeiffer as TornateUina Novoseelandica. This lived on 

 the flat un(ler pumice-stones and rotten logs ; I was much surprised 

 to find a snail nnder dry pumice-stones, yet this species was there 

 commonly living and with it a mollusc which I have called Paralaoma 

 Raoulensis. It was noted in the case of the latter that the pumice- 

 stones which harboured it were generally moss-covered on the top, 

 and in wet weather it was observed near or among the wet moss. 

 When the rain stopped it retreated, and was then only discovered 

 very snugly hidden away in the crevices, whereas the former was not 

 so particular. P. Raoidensia was later found throughout the island 

 under rotten wood and stones and decaying leaves. It was collected 

 all over the heights as well as on the level, though it was more 

 common on the latter. My next find, also on the flat, was a few 

 specimens of Kieconcha Kermadeci (Pfr.). These were taken on the 

 underside of a piece of rotten wood, and diligent search in the locality 

 revealed no more. It was later sparingly found distributed all over 

 the island, the favourite location being under well-decayed nikau 

 leaves on the ground, but it was a solitary creature, rarely more than 

 one or two being sheltered by the same leaf, and many leaves would 

 be turned without disclosing any. 



IVochonanina exposita, Mousson, was next collected, and its habits 

 were, to me, very curious. It was never met with on the level, but 

 only on the crater ridge. It would there be noted very numerous for 

 a short distance, and then absolutely none could be found, the patch 



