MOLLUSCA OF INDIA. 



25 



3631 and 3633, from Cliittagong, both labelled " naja," a name 



1 retain. 

 3632, from Cacbar. 



3r>36, Dikrang, 2U00 ft., Dafla Hills: true suhhebes, G.-A. 

 3G3'4, no localit)- : '■'■ macera" J31f., Assam; name retaiued and 



described. (Type.) 



3338, Naira, Assam : is master.ii, G.-A. 

 3637, no locality: mastcrsi G.-A. 



3339, Assam, W. Blf. " macera " : is mastem, G.-A. 

 3635, no locality : naja, G.-A. 



3640, Naga Hills : is mastersi, G.-A. 



When Nevill wrote he considered them all the same and a new 

 species ; but it must be remembered that when Nevill was working 

 at this genus the same critical examination was not made of the 

 shells, such as Pilsbry advised and adopted. The apex and sculp- 

 ture was never looked at except with a hand-lens ; a microscope 

 was never in use. I was employed for six months in 1876-1877 

 in the Indian Museum, and saw Nevill constantly at work and 

 occasionally worked with him. 



This has caused much confusion, for he also ajipears to have dis- 

 tributed them under the name of " naja." Under this title he sent 

 a specimen to Mr. Pilsbry, who describss and figures it in 'Manual 

 of Conchology,' 2nd Series, Pnlmonata, p. 90, pi. 12. f. 10, as 

 "naja" from "Assam." This turns out to be the Chittagong 

 species. Pilsbry's shell is undoubtedly from Assam ; his descrij)- 

 tion as well as the figure is so good, it verifies the locality. He 

 says, as to the sculpture: — "Glimpses of excessively weak close 

 spiral granule-lines may be seen in places." I had not noted this 

 myself, but I now see the character in my tyi)e-s]>ecimcn of a 

 Dafla Hill Glessida suhlules, an MS. name of G. NevilFs which I 

 had adopted. 



On the other hand, the receipt of these shells in exactly the 

 state Nevill left them (and he did a great deal of work on the 

 genus, before he had to retire from the Service, especially on 

 species from Southern India sent to him by Colonel Beddome) has 

 cleared up the history and brought to light another species. In 

 August ] 880, Nevill, writing to me, said. No. 80 of his ' Hand-list ' 

 was G. macera, and I took this to be his MS. name for the lot 

 until he should describe it. I have not come across the name in 

 the Blanford collection nor in Blanford's original catalogue. It is 

 interesting to record that Nos. 3634 and 3339 both bear this name 

 on the labels in the glass tubes, and on that in 3634 Nevill has 

 written "A. macera, Blf.," so we know the author. It turns out 

 that the two tubes contain diflerent species, and 3634 is a mixed 

 lot of two species ; for the very elongate, flat-sided form of one of 

 these the name masera is most applicable, while it is not so for the 

 more tumid shape of the other, which is mastersi. This fixes the 

 habitat as Assam, and on looking through the Blanford collection I 

 find two unnamed Glessulw (No. 842.06.1.1 B.M.), the habitat 

 Assam, agreeing well in size and form with " macera." 



