Mr. A. Adams on MIcrostelma and Onoba. 347' 



worker-cells in the comb are much larger, much thicker in the 

 walls, and nearly cylindrical internally. 



In conclusion, the author enters upon the question of the 

 accUmatization of new forms of Bees. For Europe, he thinks 

 the most valuable form would be the Egyptian, partly on account 

 of their beauty, and partly because of their unwillingness to use 

 their stings, which appears to be common to all African Bees, 

 and is also one of the recommendations of the Italian Bee. The 

 Syrian Bee agrees so closely with the Egyptian that it may 

 prove equally valuable ; and next to these in value, according to 

 the author, are the Bees of the coasts of Asia Minor. Of the 

 East-Indian Bees, the introduction of the fine Apis dorsata 

 would probably be most welcome to the European bee-keepers ; 

 but there are doubts whether it would bear a northern climate ; 

 and before it can be introduced into Europe, it must be domes- 

 ticated in some of its native haunts. The author suggests that 

 some of the planters of Ceylon might succeed in effecting this 

 preliminary object. 



XXXVIII. — On Microstelma and Onoba, two Forms of Rissoid 

 Gasteropods ; with Notices of new Species of the latter from 

 Japan. By Arthur Adams, F.L.S. &c. 



In addition to the new species of Bissoid genera which I have 

 recently published in the ' Annals,' I beg to bring before the 

 notice of your readers an entirely new form and several new 

 species of Onoba, reserving my observations on the genus Ris- 

 soina for a future communication, which will complete my ex- 

 amination of the family Rissoidse inhabiting the Seas of Japan. 



Genus Microstelma, A. Adams. 



Testa tnrrito-ovata, rimata ; spira conica ; anfiractibus longitudi- 

 naliter plicatis. Apertura oblonga, antice producta, subcanaliculata ; 

 labio incrassato, rectiusculo ; labro simplici. 



This very pretty form, which most nearly resembles the genus 

 Rissoina, I obtained in the Gotto Islands, by a cast of the dredge, 

 in forty-eight fathoms water. The shell only was obtained ; so 

 that our account of the genus, like that of many others proposed, 

 is necessarily very imperfect. Such must frequently be the case 

 with regard to very deep-water acquisitions from far-off and 

 little-known localities; and such, .of course, is always the case 

 with fossil or extinct forms. 



In the sand from the same locality I fortunately obtained 

 Jiving examples of the genus Verticordia, hitherto only known 



23* 



