32 LAND AND FRESHWATER 



and considers 0. hacuUna, Hy. Blanford "only a more slender 

 form of temiispira" (PI. CLIX. tigs. 1, 2); be could not possibly 

 have seen the types of the former speeies — the shell from the 

 Khasi Hills (Teria Ghat) (PI. CLIX. tig. ;5) differs altogether 

 from the Sikhim one, and when they are placed side by side the 

 i)oiiils of difference are seen at once. I still more doubt the 

 extension of iemtispira to North Canara as well as to Pegu. 

 In J. A. S. B. 1805, p. iJo, lilanford says Achatimt tenuispira, Bens., 

 of small size is common at Akouktoung and farther south. I refer 

 to this under Gh'ssida j^ierttnuis, Ko. 8, East of Bay of Bengal. 

 I have not at present tlie shells to examine. Geoffrey Nevill, 

 'Hand List,' i. 1878, p. 169, records Darjiliug, also Khasi and Dalia 

 Hills ■ from these two last localities the shells were of my 

 collecting, for when Nevill was studying the genus 1 supplied him 

 liberally with specimens. 



The first record of G. tenmsjiira appears in a paper entitled 

 " Descriptive Catalogue of Terrestrial and Fluviatile Testacea, 

 chiefly from the North-East Frontier of Bengal," by W. H. Benson, 

 Journal of Asiatic Society Bengal, June 1836, p. 350. 



(The Collection was purchased by the Asiatic Society in 1833.) 



No. 11. in the List. — AcJiatina tenuisj^iira. 



Original description : — " Testa elongata ticrriia, cornea, longi- 

 tudinaliter striata, versus apicem attenuata, colamnari, anfractu 

 ultimo interdiim facills, quihusdam albidis transcersis ornato, 

 suturis ijnpressis apice obtuso. 



" Long. 1 poll, circiter; Lat. 0-55. 



"This Achatina, belonging to De Ferussac's subgenus CocJdicopa 

 and to his group of Hyloides, is remarkable for the attenuated 

 columellar form of the terminal whorls of the spire." 



(Followed by No. 12, Crassilahris). 



At the time this description was written, Benson had not seen 

 a Dariiliiig specimen ; he was then Magistrate and Collector of 

 Bylhet, and there can be no doubt whatever typical tnudspira 

 came from that district — most probably from that rich collecting 

 place Teria Ghat, which lies on its northern boundary, where 

 Benson also obtained the very well-marked species G. crassilahris. 



We are apt to forget how much we owe to Benson and Hutton, 

 the pioneers in Indian Malacology, who, with little assistance and 

 encouragement, did so much. Looking back to the early thirties 

 and the'manv papers Benson lived to publish, it is noticeable how 

 much his remarks increase the interest in the species he discovered, 

 how much is suggested as to relationship and distribution. The 

 brothers Blauford followed with the same scientific treatment. In 

 comparison the record of to-day, with few exceptions, is bald to a 

 decree owing to a want of knowledge of the physical features of 

 the country, its size, and varying climatic conditions. 



