THE 



JOURNAL OF MALACOLOGY. 



No. 2. MAY 1ST, 1899. Vol. VII. 



THE SPECIFIC POSITION OF THE REPUTED BRITISH 

 HYALINIA GLABRA, Studer. 



By W. moss, F.C.A., 

 Ashton- under- Lyne. 



This British species was on the authority of the late Gwyn Jeffreys 

 in 1870 separated from Hy. alliaria and declared to be identical with 

 the continental Hy. glabra of Studer. Its identity with the conti- 

 nental species has been frequently disputed, and Mr. L. E. Adams 

 in his last edition of '■'■British Latid and Freshwater Shells" discards 

 '^glabra" and substitutes helvetica, Blum., as the name of the species, 

 stating as his reason for so doing that — " Investigation has at last 

 settled the dispute as to what the species we have been accustomed 

 to call glaber was called on the continent. It appears to be the 

 helvetica of Draparnaud, as Mr. Taylor had suspected many years 

 ago." 



Unfortunately Mr. Adams does not tell us where the reputed 

 British glabra differs from its continental namesake, nor what the 

 characters are which agree with the continental helvetica. 



Recently, through the kindness of Professor Simroth, the writer 

 has had the opportunity of examining a single specimen of Hy. glabra, 

 Studer, and two specimens of the same species kindly forwarded by 

 Dr. Babor of Prague. After comparing the radulae and generative 

 organs of these three specimens, with those of a very large series of 

 the British form, there can be no question that whatever the reputed 

 British glabra may ultimately prove to be, it is quite distinct from the 

 glabra of Studer. The reasons for this conclusion will be set forth 

 in a later contribution. 



JouRN. OF Malac, 1899, vol. vii, No. 2. 



