2 NEW LAND SHELL FROM CUBA DALL. 



ter, aud the two ruu parallel like rails on a track, but somewhat irreg- 

 ularly. From the aperture no lamella can be observed on the pillar, 

 but the primary C, which falls short of reaching the margin and is 

 comparatively weak toward the aperture, in the depths of the throat is 

 higher aud stronger, forming a prominent, high, thin lamella. The 

 primary E is prominent at the angle of the outer lip, and projects to- 

 ^\ard A; deeper in it becomes lower aud weaker, and still further in it 

 projects in a high triangular plate stronger than any of the others at 

 that depth. There are no indications of any other lamellaj or callosi- 

 lies. The margin of the aperture is set somewhat obliquely to the 

 axis (see Fig. 2). Max. Ion. of shell, i.75; max. diam., LS?-^™. 

 Habitat. — Cuba. 



hiG ] Fig. 2 



Fig. 1.— Vertigo cubana Dall, type specimen magniflcfl seventeen diameters, front view. 

 Fig. 2.— The same, viewed from tlie side to show obliquity of the margin of the aperture. 



A single specimen of this remarkable little species is in the U. S. Na- 

 tional Museum, mollusk register 87645. It was received from the col- 

 lection of the late Dr. Shurtleff, now belonging to Wesleyan Univer- 

 sity, Middletowu, Conn., aud was obtained by him from the late Prof. 

 C. B. Adams, or at least still occupies the tiny glass tube, stopped with 

 sealing-wax, in which Professor Adams secured his minutiie, and a tiny 

 label on which is written " Pupa Cuba" in Professor Adams's well- 

 know chirography. The only species resembliug this to my knowledge 

 is Pvpa lyrata Gould, a native of the Sandwich Islands, which is sinis- 

 tral and much larger, measnring 2.75'"'" in length. P. lyrata has a dis- 

 tinct though feeble columellar plait or ridge, and it is possible that a 

 more advanced specimen of the Cuban species might possess it, yet the 

 shell appears perfectly mature. The Cuban shell has the transverse 

 ribs strongest on the last whorl, while in P. lyrata they are strongest 

 on the upper part of the spire. Notwithstanding these differences these 

 two species evidently belong to the game section of the genus. P. ly- 

 rata is referred to Vertigo by Gould in the " Otia," and Pfeiffer places 

 it in the section Vertilla Moquiu Tandoii, characterized by sonie pecu- 

 liarities of the jaw and by a reversed shell, the latter a character of no 

 value. For the present, until the sections of Vertigo are more defi- 

 nitely established, it will be sufficient for all purposes to leave our Cu- 

 ban species under that head without attempting a more precise classi- 

 fication. 



