MOELLENDORFF : LAND SHELLS OP CAROLINE ISLANDS. IO5 



Helix goniomphala, Pfr., P. Z. S., 1854, p. 147. — Mon. Hel., iv, 

 p. 184. — Tr. (Niriritella) goriiomjjJmla, Marts., Ostas., 

 p. 247. — Tryon, Man. Conch., iii, p. 78, t. 15, f. 34. 

 I/ah. — Ponape (Tryon, Etscheid, Kubary). 



Pfeiffer mentioned no habitat at first, later he gave Viti as such on 

 Thomson's authority, which must be erroneous. Tryon states Ponape 

 to be the true locaHty, but does not mention the collector. I received 

 the form abundantly from Ponape. 



8e.— Tpoehomoppha kuesteri sub-sp. intermedia, nov. 



T. umbilico sat aperto (ut goniomphala) sed minus distincte angu- 

 lato, anfr. 6h magis convexis quam in sub-sp. goniomphala sed minus 

 quam in typo, sutura minus distincte marginata, carina minus 

 exserta. 



Ifab. — Ponape (Etscheid, Kubary). 



The abundant material which I received of all these forms from 

 my friends at Ponape has taught me that T. Imesteri and goniomphala 

 cannot be separated specifically, but at most as sub-species. Un- 

 fortunately the collections, made at different localities in the islands, 

 were not always separated, so that it cannot even be determined 

 whether the different forms are local races connected by transitory 

 varieties or whether they occur promiscuously at the same locality. 

 In the latter case they could not be regarded as sub-species, but 

 would appear to be individual variations. I believe, however, that we 

 have here one of those interesting series of forms, for which Messrs. 

 Sarasin, in their splendid work on the land shells of the Celebes, 

 have introduced the new appelation of " Formenkette," i.e. a chain 

 of forms, the different developments of the type occurring either 

 at horizontally or vertically different localities, being linked by 

 transitory stages on intermediate areas. Among the forms which I 

 name transitans and intermedia we find specimens which may with 

 equal right be referred to Imesteri or to goniomphala. 



9.— Tpoehomorpha (Nigritella) alta (Pease). 



T. imperforata, elate trochiformis, solida, transverse curvatim 

 plicato-striatula, fusca aut brunnea, rarius flavida, opaca. Spira valde 

 elevata lateribus convexiusculis apice obtuso. Anfr. 6^ planulati, 

 sutura per carinam subexsertam marginata disjuncti, ultimus acute 

 carinatus, basi fere planus, medio excavatus. Apertura maxima 

 obliqua, trapezoidea, peristoma rectum, obtusum, margine supero 

 medio valde protracto, basali sigmoideo, intus calloso-labiato, colu- 

 mella valde calloso-incrassata. 



