Quarterly Journal of Conc/iology, 251 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF LAND SHELLS 

 FROM THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA. 



By John W. Taylor. 



Mr. J. S. Gibbons, M.B., of Southampton, who for some time 

 resided on the Eastern coast of Africa, and availed himself of the 

 opportunities he possessed to make a collection of the shells of 

 that region, has placed in my hands for description and publica- 

 tion such of the species as appear to me to be new. 



Mr. Edgar A. Smith, F.Z.S., has, with his customary courtesy 

 looked over the shells, and was unable to refer them to any species 

 in the British Museum collections. 



The tropical Eastern coast of Africa and adjoining islands, form, 

 according to Woodward, one province. The mainland, though 

 possessing all the requisites for a numerous molluscan fauna, is 

 singularly destitute of species, and appears to have less variety 

 than any other part of the world as favourably situate. 



Twenty-eight species of land shells have been recorded from 

 this region to the present time. Thanks, however, to the re- 

 searches of Mr. Gibbons this number has been considerably 

 increased, and several genera not hitherto accredited to Eastern 

 Africa have been discovered to exist there. 



With the exception of the Achatitia, the land shells are insig- 

 nificant in size and coloring, the species also being usually confined 

 to small areas and seldom plentiful. 



About Zanzibar, Achatince is the only shell generally diffused, 

 BuUmi, Pupa, G^c, being restricted to small areas on the coast 

 and to the coral islets. 



In the preparation of the remarks and descriptions in this notice, 

 I have availed myself largely of the very excellent and accurate 

 descriptive notes prepared by Mr. Gibbons. 



