Mr. C. Hedley on Australian Slugs. 171 



species of tliis genus ; to have readied this total our autlior 

 must liavc impressed every avaihablc synonym and enlisted 

 an odd genus or so as well. 



" Such species as //. Cumingij Beck, .... might be sepa- 

 rated from llelicarwn by their shells alone, at least sub- 

 generically." In this conclusion he is perfectly correct, but 

 was anticipated some twenty years since by Prof. Semper, 

 who demonstrated anatomically (Reis. im Phil. vol. iii. pt. 1, 

 p. 56) the position of this moUusk in the genus Xesta. 11. 

 Ililli, Cox, should be classified as a Nanina (see ' Kecords of 

 the Australian iAIuscum,' vol. i. p. 186). The fact that 

 Garrett (P. Z. S. 1887, p. 315) throws grave doubts on the 

 Fijian habitat of Parmella is disregarded by Mr. Cockerell, 

 who copies the probably fictitious locality from his prede- 

 cessors. A notice by myself on the genus (' Records of the 

 Australian Museum,' vol. i. pp. 78-80, pi. xi.) appears to 

 have shared the fate of much other molluscan literature, and 

 to have escaped the observation of this author, who should 

 have referred tliis genus to the Helicarioninaj. 



In reference to Cystopella Mr. Cockerell seems to have read 

 my article, which he quotes so approvingly, without having 

 quite understood it. 1 beg to repeat emphatically that this 

 genus has not the teeth of TestaceUa, neither has it the jaw 

 of Avion. " Of this," to quote our merry friend, " there is no 

 possible doubt, no probable possible shadow of doubt, no 

 possible doubt whatever." Also that Cystopelta has not the 

 slightest resemblance or affinity to either the Testacellidffi or 

 the Selenitidffi. Further, that Cystopelta is a much modified 

 and aberrant member of the Ilelicarioninfe. I believe that 

 any modern malacological student who attentively examines 

 the drawings and descriptions appearing in the Proc. Linn. 

 Soc. N. S. W. (2) vol. V. pp. 4-1.-46, pi. i., and vol. vi. pp. 24, 

 25, pi. iii. fig. 4, will agree with me. 



The classification of our land Mollusca sadly needs revision ; 

 but a ramble through the British Museum and a study of 

 text-books are not a sufiicient qualification for the task, and 

 it is to be hoped that before Mr. Cockerell again addresses 

 himself to it that he will serve a considerable apprenticeship 

 to biological science with the microscope, dissecting-needle, 

 and sketch-book. 



Linuean Hall, 

 Sydney, X . S. W., 

 December li>, 1891. 



