Quarterly Journal of ConcJiology. 307 



than 7 sp. Q){ Bull minus. We owe our knowledge of these shells 

 almost entirely to the Abbe David and the late Prof. Deshayes, 

 the former having collected, and the latter described them. 



6. Japan. Ihe Japanese Islands were, till a few years ago, 

 almost c( n pletely taia tncrgnila, but since the opening of the 

 ports to Europeans, and especially since travelling in the interior 

 has been possible to some extent, our knowledge of the Japanese 

 fauna has rapidly increased, and we find that it is equally remark- 

 able for the number and for the beauty of the forms. A. Adams 

 and V. Martens have both collected and described Japanese land 

 shells. The descriptions of the former naturalist are unfortunately 

 scattered through the Zoological Proceedings, a work which, while 

 it may be described as a mine oi wealth for conchologists, unfor- 

 tunately justifies the analogy to a mine still further by the concho- 

 Icgical papers, the ore, so to speak, being imbedded in a vastly 

 preponderating mass of articles not bearing on the mollusca, which 

 may properly be compared with the quartz or other matrix. V. 

 Martens' " Preussische Expedition, etc.," on the other hand, gives 

 a complete account of the Japanese land shells up to the date of 

 publication, but, unfortunately that is several years back, and since 

 then Dr. Kobelt has described many new species collected by 

 Rein. There are several species of Hyalina and Fruticicola, a 

 trace that northern influences are beginning to appear, though the 

 general character of the fauna is clearly Palasotropical. A^anina 

 is represented by few species. The characteristic subgenera of 

 Belix are Cantcna 17 and Flaioiropis 2> species. There are 2 

 species of Hadra, 2 of ALgista, and i of Dorcasia. The Bulimini 

 are very few (2 only). Balea has i species and ClausiHa, as 

 already stated, is represented by numerous and handsome forms 

 {20 species). It is especially the operculate fauna that proves the 

 Palaeotropical character of this province. The following are 

 catalogued by Pfeiffer : Cyclotus 3, Ctelopoma r, A/ycaus 2, Cydo- 

 phorus 2, Pupina i, Pupiiulla i, Ilciiciiia 2, Rcalia 3. 



