LOUISIADES AND SOLOMON ISLANDS 32 1 



The Louisiadcs, the d' Entrecasteaux, and Trohriand, Is., and 

 Woodlark L, are closely related to New Guinea, containing no 

 peculiar genera. Each group, however, contains a considerable 

 proportion of peculiar species, an indication that their separation 

 from New Guinea dates from a very distant period. From the 

 Louisiades are known 34 species in all, 22 of which are peculiar. 



The fauna of the Admiralty Is., of New Hanover, and New 

 Irelaiul is markedly Papuan, without any especial feature of 

 distinction. The Admiralty Is. contain 15 sp. Fa.'puina, 7 

 Chloritis, 1 Planispira, and 1 Corasia. A single Janella shows 

 relationship with the New Hebrides and with New Zealand. In 

 New Ireland Flanispira (which is specially characteristic of W. 

 New Guinea and the Moluccas) has disappeared, but there are 7 

 Fajjuina and 6 Chloritis. The essentially Polynesian Fartula is 

 present in both groups. 



The prominent feature of the Mollusca of the Solomon Is. is 

 the extraordinary development of Fa^puina, which here cul- 

 minates in a profusion of species and singularity of form. The 

 genus is arboreal, crawling on the branches and attaching itself 

 to the leaves of trees and underwood. Of the 140 land 

 Fulmonata known from the group, no less than 50, or 36 per 

 cent, are Fapuina. Ten species of Corasia occur, but whether 

 the shells so identified are generically identical with those of the 

 Philippines, is not satisfactorily determined. Trochomor})ha, 

 with 22 species, here attains its maximum. Chloritis begins to 

 fail, but still has 3 species. Indo-Malay influence still appears, 

 though feebly, in Hemiplecta (3), Xesta (1), and possibly even 

 Macrochlamys (1). The Rhytida, the 3 Hadra, and possibly 

 the Faryphanta represent the Australian element. The grow- 

 ing numbers of Fartula (13), the small and inconspicuous land 

 operculates (only 22 in all, with Helicina very prominent), and 

 the almost complete absence of fresh -water bivalves, show signs 

 of strong Polynesian ailinities. An especial link with the New 

 VOL. Ill • Y 



