SAINT HELENA. 537 



The H. Mellissii seems to me to belong to much the same 

 type as the European H. fulva, Mull. ; but it is nevertheless 

 considerably smaller, as well as a trifle darker and more shining- ; 

 its basal region is less coarsely striated ; and it is not only more 

 depressed and with a volution less, but its ultimate whorl (which 

 has no tendency whatever to be even obsoletely keeled) is rela- 

 tively not quite so narrow. Had it not been for its very minute 

 size I might almost have been inclined to refer it (judging from 

 the figure and diagnosis of that species) to the H. spurca, — 

 which hitherto has been found merely subfossilized ; but con- 

 sidering that it is only half the size and has the spire (as I 

 believe) not quite so depressed, I think that it would be unsafe 

 to do so. As regards its specific title, I have had great pleasure 

 in connecting it with that of my worthy friend J. C. Melliss, 

 Esq., — whose recent volume on St. Helena is a proof of how 

 successfully he laboured to bring together what had previously 

 been accomplished in the several departments of the Natural 

 History of the island. 



Genus 3. PATULA, Held. 



(§ Endodonta, Pfeiff.) 



Patula bilamellata. 



Helix bilamellata, Sow., in Darwin's Vole. Isl., Append. 



157 (1844) 

 „ „ Forbes, Journ. Geol. Soc. Lond.\iu.\dd. 



t. 5. f. 8 (1852) 

 „ „ Pfeiff., Mon. Hel. iv. 324 (1859) 



„ „ Melliss, Si. Hel. 121 (1875) 



Habitat ad latera via?, inter Jamestown et Longwood, circa 

 1200' s.m., necnon versus montem Flagstaff in parte boreali 

 insula? ; semifossilis. 



The subfossilized P. bilamellata, is found embedded in the 

 surface soil both in the extreme north of the island (in company 

 with the Bulimus auris-vulpina, etc.) near Flagstaff Hill, and 

 likewise in the cutting (above the Briars) of the Sidepath-road 

 between Jamestown and Longwood. Judging from the figure 

 which was given by Forbes, it seems to have sufficiently in com- 

 mon, in its general features and outline, with the Madeiran P. 

 bifrons to justify its being placed at no very great distance from 

 the section Jamdus, of Lowe, which embraces that species and 

 a few others which are allied to it ; nevertheless the fact of its 

 aperture being armed on the ventral paries with two conspicu- 

 ous plaits will of course remove it into at any rate a different 

 division of the genus Patula. 



