AM ASTRA, MOLOKAI. 269 



not mucronata, being larger with, a larger aperture. See A. 

 borcherdingi. So far as we know the typical form of the 

 species as figured by Newcomb is not specifically different 

 from the shell commonly known as simularis Hartman. 

 Hartman notes the resemblance of his species to A. mucronata, 

 but does not mention the differences upon which simularis 

 was based. The description follows: 



Amastra simularis. " Shell dextral, ovate-conic, whorls 

 5%, slightly rounded, body-whorl somewhat inflated, two- 

 thirds the length, the first 1% composed of slightly curved 

 plicae, suture lightly impressed, epidermis dark brown with, 

 black zigzagged lines and linear striae, body-whorl a dark 

 red color beneath the epidermis; aperture semi-ovate, dark 

 red. columella straight, with a white twisted plait near the 

 base. Length 15, width 7, aperture 6x3 mm. Molokai. Re- 

 ceived from D. B. Baldwin, Esq., and so called from its size 

 and resemblance to A. mucronata Newc." (Hartman.) 



Amastra simularis HARTMAN, Proc. A. N. S., Phila., Oct. 

 23, 1888, p. 252, pi. 13, 1 7. GWATKIN, Proc. A. N. S., Phila., 

 1895, p. 239 (radula). ANCEY, Proc. Malac. Soc., Lond., iii, 

 1899, p. 269. SYKES, Fauna Hawaiiensis, p. 343. BOR- 

 CHERDING, Zoologica, xix, Heft. 48n, p. 112, pi. 10, f. 12. 



As stated above, this is specifically identical with mucro- 

 nata, from which it differs only in the dark ground- color ; 

 but in several large lots examined there are shells with pale 

 and even almost white ground, so that the retention of simul- 

 aris as a varietal term for the dark form is of doubtful 

 utility. 



Figures 1 to 5 of plate 28 represent specimens of the origi- 

 nal lot of simularis obtained by Mr. Baldwin, who supplied 

 Hartman ? s type. Fig. 6, copied from Borcherding, repre- 

 sents a Halawa shell. A fuller description follows. 



The shell is imperforate, oblong-conic, rather solid, glossy, 

 of a red-chestnut color, or sometimes pale fleshy-yellow or 

 almost white on the last whorl or two; the penultimate whorl 

 and first half of the last copiously marked with zigzag Hack 

 or chocolate lines, the last half of the last whorl nearly uni- 

 form chocolate or blackish. Embryonic sculpture about as in 



