XO. 5 INTERMEDIATE HOSTS OF ASIATIC BLOOD FLUKE RARTSCH 35 



modifications are sufficient to adopt the specific names here proposed. In the 

 former case we would have nothing but varieties of the earHer Oncomelania 

 hupensis Gredler * * * which would mean that the province of Hupeh is the 

 mother country of the prototype. There is nothing against this because from 

 the appearance of this species this territory more than in our days must have 

 been a vast fresh-water sea, mixing the waters of lakes Po-yang and Tong-ting 

 with those of the upper Yangtze. 



From that time to Dr. Li's able efiforts, doubt and unoertaiuty as 

 to the scientific status of the named species have obtained. 



I hope that definitely separating" the Katayamas from the ( )nco- 

 nielanias will remove some of the difficulties. Also that the recogniz- 

 ing of Heude's species and the adding of some more will stimulate 

 the collecting and studying of material from many more localities and 

 that this may result in removing the doubts expressed by Heude, 

 which I am not altogether able to allay. 



This genus was established in 1881 by Vlncenz Gredler (5) for 

 Ojiconuiaiiia hupoisis Gredler. He based his contention on three 

 specimens collected by P. Fuchs in March at " U-tschang-fu " (Wu- 

 chang, Hupeh Province). 



The next to add to our knowledge of the group was O. F. von 

 Mollendorfif (6), who in 1888 believed that Oncontclaiiia Gredler 

 should be replaced by the earlier Prososthcnia Neumayr, in which 

 we do not concur, but in spite of his contention he here also describes 

 and figures Oncomelania schinackeri collected by Schmacker " near 

 Shanghai." 



In 1889 R. P. M. Heude (7) discusses Prososthcnia and Onco- 

 uiclania, and states that the latter name is not suitable because it sug- 

 gests affinities with Mclania, while in reality the moUusks in question 

 he believes belong to the Rissoidae. He states that for a long time 

 they have had this labeled Hemibia in their museum, and he therefore 

 rechristens it Hemibia on account of the amphibious habits of the 

 animal. Hemibia, therefore, is a pure and simple synonym of Onco- 

 melania with the same type, /. c. Oncomelania hupensis Gredler. 



In i8<jo B. Schmacker and O. Bottger (9) discuss Prososthcnia 

 schmackeri and state that they have typical specimens from the hills 

 near Shanghai; Kah-ding (Kashing) near Shanghai; Chapoo 

 fChapu) on Hang-choo (Hangchow) Bay and Kiukiang (Kiangsi 

 Province). Here also they describe Prososthcnia niocUcndorM from 

 Ningkuofu (Xingkwofu), Anhwei Province. 



