collected in Southern India. 259 
some grounds for conjecture that an examination of their oper- 
eula will eventually prove their approximation rather to Clea 
Annesleyi than to the Southern-European genus with a sub- 
spiral operculum, to which they have been attributed. It appears 
probable that, notwithstanding the basal emargination, Clea 
will, with reference to its unguiculate operculum, be found to 
have nearer relations with the Cingalese genus Tanalia than 
with Melania and its congeners. The curious narrow and some- 
what recurved process at the lower part of the operculum is 
suited to the formation of the base of the shell, of which the 
emargination is as strongly pronounced as in the genus Colum- 
bella. 
It is not impossible that some of the American species of 
Hemisinus may be found to consort rather with Clea than 
with the original Swainsonian type; but the association of 
Melania strigilata, Dunker, and M. Esperi, Fér. (which last has 
doubtless the spiral operculum of Melania), with such conspi- 
cuous types as Clea nigricans and C. Annesley is scarcely con- 
sistent with the present state of conchological knowledge. Clea 
might apparently be united with more propriety to Buceinum 
than to the Melaniade. 
Melanopsis Helena, Meder (a Javanese species included by 
Reeve in Hemisinus), approaches Clea in the deep emargination 
at the base, but cannot fairly be included in that genus with 
reference to other characters. The formation of the columella 
is very different. 
Bithinia Travancorica, B. 
Testa imperforata, conoideo-globosa, irregulariter striata, striis mi- 
nutissimis spiralibus confertim decussata, albida, vel corneo-flaves- 
cente, translucente ; spira dimidium testze eequante, apicem versus 
conoidea, vertice obtusiusculo hyalina, sutura impressa; anfracti- 
bus 43 convexis, ultimo globoso, antice sensim descendente ; aper- 
tura obliqua, ovata, margine sinistro calloso, callo extus sulco 
marginato. Operculo normali, crassiusculo, extus nonnunquam 
tenuiter radiatim striato; nucleo subcentrali. 
Long. 6, diam. 5 mill. 
Habitat in stagnis prope Quilon. 
This shell approaches a smaller species found by Mr. F. Layard 
in a watercourse at Bandurawelle, near Badulla in Ceylon, but 
differs from it in having a shorter conoidal spire above the glo- 
bose lower and penultimate whorl, and in colour and solidity. 
The minute spiral striation found in several Indian species is 
common to both. Specimens taken on weed and stones in a 
pool were in very fine condition, and exhibited the delicate 
radiating striation on the operculum ; a smaller variety from a 
tank had the shells more or less eroded, chiefly at the summit. 
