142 Zoological Society. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



July 9, 1850.— John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair. 

 Description of a new genus of the Family Melaniana, 



AND OF MANY NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS MeLANIA, 

 CHIEFLY COLLECTED BY HUGH CUMING, ESQ. By ISAAC 



Lea and Henry C. Lea, Philadelphia. 



[Continued from p. 70.] 



Melania Cumingii. M. testd striata, turritd, superne uno-cari- 

 natd, subcrassd, tenebroso-fuscd ; spird valde elevatd ; suturis 

 regulariter impressis ; anfractibus planulatis, lineis raris impres- 

 sis ; aperturd magnd, subtriangulari, intus ccerulescente ; colu- 

 mella retusd contortdque. 

 Hab. Very small streams, island of Siquijor, Philippines. 

 Length 2*5, diam. '7 of an inch. 



Remarks. — This is a very remarkable species. A single specimen 

 only was sent by Mr. Cuming, and this unfortunately is by no means 

 perfect. There is a good deal of ferruginous matter deposited over 

 the surface, and the apex is so much eroded that the number of 

 whorls cannot be well ascertained, perhaps about nine. The turrited 

 form of the shell is very notable. Immediately under the suture 

 there is an elevated and cordlike line, slightly angular on the superior 

 part. Below this the whorl is slightly impressed. Part of the sur- 

 face is wrinkled by the transverse striae decussating longitudinal 

 lines. The aperture is about one-third the length of the shell, and 

 remarkable for its triangular form. The columella is unusually white, 

 which shows in contrast with the dark epidermis. The operculum is 

 large and thick, having its polar point near to the lower border. 

 Melania dactylus. M. testd striatd, valde elevatd, superrie cos- 

 tatd, crassd, vel fused vel luteo-corned ; spird valde elevatd ; su- 

 turis impressis; anfractibus duodecim, convexis, lineis crebris 

 elevatis ornatis ; costellis verticalibus crebris ; aperturd submagnd, 

 subrotundatd, intus vel salmonid vel cceruled; columelld incrassatd, 

 salmonid tortdque. 

 Hab. Small streams in Guimaras, Mindanao, Luzon and Seyte, 

 Philippines. 



Length 3 "2, diam. 1 inch. 



Remarks. — This is a remarkably fine, large, and protean species. 

 There are about two dozen specimens under examination from various 

 islands of the Philippines. The prevailing character of the surface 

 is striate with decussating costae on the superior whorls ; but some 

 specimens have these costae enlarged on the lower whorls, instead of 

 their having vanished, as on others. Some again have their costae 

 rising into a series of pointed tubercles. Under the microscope many 

 numerous minute striae may be observed to revolve parallel with the 

 coarser ones. Another variety is quite smooth on the upper whorls, 

 with fewer striae and costae. This looks like an immature shell. The 



