204 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



one end of the street, and connected at the other with a 12 inch main in 

 Peckham Road. No specimens have been observed in the latter or any 

 other pipes, which is very curious. 



All the specimens, without exception, are in perfectly clean condition, 

 showing that there was very little mineral or vegetable deposit in the 

 water, although evidently sufficient vegetable matter upon the jjipes for 

 the animals to feed upon. 



The species is viviparous, according to Mr. Charles Oldham, who 

 collected many .specimens in Cheshire containing " large luunbers of fry 

 ready for exclusion " (Journ. of Conch., vol. x, p. 42), and Messrs. Jackson 

 and Taylor also observe that the acute-spired species of this genus are 

 viviparous (op. cit., vol. xi, p. 11). It therefore becomes quite certain that 

 the species was not introduced into the pipes in the ova-state, but that 

 either young or more adult shells had by some means found an entrance. 

 It is well known that the species ajjparently increases at an enormous 

 rate, for localities have been described as " taken over" by it in myriads 

 where the previous year not one was seen (Stubbs, op. cit., vol. x, p. 2iS4). 

 It is therefore quite probable that the species has not long existed in this 

 subterranean locality. 



These shells differ from typical specimens in being more graceful 

 and slender, and in having the spire longer and the aperture smaller. 

 Length 4'5, diameter 2^25 mm. ; length of a typical specimen 5 mm., 

 diameter 3 mm. A small variety of the species was observed by Mr. A. 

 Mayfield last Autumn in Oulton Broad, Suffolk, "in countless thousands." 

 Specimens kindly presented by him to the British Museum measure only 

 about 3'75 mm. in length and 2 in breadth. 



Some specimens similar to those from the water-pipes were sent in 1905 

 to the Museum by the London Hydraulic Power Company, having been 

 found in an open tank upon the top of a building in Blomfield Street, E.G. 

 Some shorter examples, much coated with a rusty deposit, were submitted 

 by the same company. These occurred in a high-pressure water-meter at 

 Middleton's Wharf, Wapping. All the specimens received were dead shells. 



E. A. Smith. 



Glessula parabilis (Benson). 



Achatina parabilis, Benson, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1856, vol. xviii, p. 96. 

 Glessula fusca, H. Adams, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1868, p. 15, pi. iv, figs. 10, 10a. 



Hab. — Ceylon. 



This species was accidentally omitted from my pajjer in the last part 

 of the " Proceedings." Its position in the series is between Nos. 26 and 27 

 on p. 165. 



R. H. Beddome. 



