128 



PUOCEEDINGS OP THE MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Yar. vicaria. 



A single small specimen from Mount Singalong, 16 ram. in length, 

 3'75 wide, of a dark purple-brown colour, with a white peristome, 

 and consisting of 9^ whorls. 



Placing this shell beside var. a or var. h, the great difference of size 

 seems to indicate more than varietal rank ; indeed, although up to the 

 present it has appeared advisable to regard these in the light of 

 varieties of a single species, it seems more than likely, when their 

 range is known and the animals studied, both alive and anatomically, 

 that differences will be discovered by which we shall be enabled to 

 distinguish them specitically. It may be that we are really dealing 

 with two, if not three, distinct species, namely, var. a, which should 

 be regarded as typical Sumatrana, var, b, which would require 

 a name, hrevior being already in use, and var. vicaria, a name which 

 it might retain as a species. At present, however, T am certainly of 

 opinion that the so-called var. h should be considered a distinct species 

 from the rest, its form being very different, the whorls only 8| in 



number, and the sculpture finer. For this shell I therefore propose 

 the name Clausilia rohistior. A specimen in the Natural History 

 Museum is marked Kepahiang. 



The var. vicaria of Sykes should, I think, at present be regarded as 

 a variety of Sumatrana, for, although it is more glossy and smaller, 

 still the sculpture is of about the same strength, and the form and 

 proportions of the shell are similar. 



In conclusion, I would refer to the relative proportional length of 

 the two last whorls compared with the rest of the spire. In rohistior 

 the upper part ^ occupies about \ of the entire length, whereas in 

 Sumatrana and var. vicaria it occupies just f, and in the abnormal 

 specimen, above described, the length of the two parts of the shell is 

 14 and 16 mm. respectively. 



I have placed the specimens mentioned in this note in the Natural 

 History Museum, South Kensington, so that they will always be 

 available for future reference. 



' The portion above the second suture, the aperture being towards the eye. 



