AZOREAN GROUP. 33 



Helix apicina, 



Helix apicina, Lam., Hist. vi. 102, 93 (1822) 

 Xerophila apicina, Held, in Isis, 913 (1837) 

 Helix apicina, Morel., Moll, du Port. 63 (1845) 



' Pfei/., M on.Hel.i. 170(1848) 

 Morel., Hist. Nat. des Acor. 174 (1860) 



Drouet, Faun. Acor. 158 (1861) 



Pfei/-, M OU. Hel. vii. 242 (1876) 

 Habitat Terceira ; forsan ex Europa introducta. 

 The European and North- African H. apicina, Lam., was 

 found both by Morelet and Drouet in Terceira, ' sur les pelouses 

 au fond de la baie de Praya,' where it appears to be common ; 

 but they did not meet with it in any of the other islands. 

 The only evidence of its occurrence in the more southern 

 archipelagos is embodied in two examples which were taken 

 during the ' Challenger ' expedition at Teneriffe. 



Helix obruta. 



Helix obruta, Morel., Hist. Nat. des. Acor. 178, t. 5. f. 13 



(1860) 

 Drouet, Faun. Acor. 158 (1861) 



Habitat Sta. Maria, semifossilis ; hodie recens haud 

 inventa. 



This rather obscure little Helix appears to be found subfos- 

 silized, in a somewhat calcareous region, towards the southern 

 coast of Sta. Maria ; and as it has not been observed hitherto 

 in a recent condition, it may perhaps have become extinct. 

 Still, judging from the analogy of the numerous Madeiran 

 Helices, in a similar predicament, which had long been sup- 

 posed to have passed away, but which have ultimately been 

 brought to light as members of the present fauna, it would be 

 unsafe to assert this until at any rate the neighbouring districts 

 of the island have been fully and accurately investigated. 



Being in an almost colourless state, the characters of the 

 H. obruta are not easy to be denned ; nor indeed are its affini- 

 ties very evident, though Morelet compares it with the larger 

 examples of the H. armillata. It is, however, less depressed 

 and less angulose than that species, the columellary edge of its 

 peristome is somewhat less expanded, and its umbilicus is nar- 

 rower. It seems to me to be rather solid, and faintly marked 

 with oblique striae, measuring about 8 millimetres across its 

 broadest part. 



