40 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 



detailed study. I may merely call attention to the fact that the foot 

 in Blanfordia is divided, while that of Oncomelania is entire. 



Egg. — Li (46) states, pages 128-9, that he found the eggs at Djia 

 Schan in 1933 laid in the water in April and May in masses of 15-30 

 enclosed in a jelly mass and attached to stones and plants. This also 

 distinguishes them from those of Kalayama, whose eggs are deposited 

 singly or in short chains. 



Ecology. — Of Hemibia hupensis, Faust and Meleney (32) write: 



In warm weather it inhabits the moist earth, just above the water's edge, 

 always within 50 cm. of the water and usually within 10 cm. of it. It is found 

 attached to the earth, to stones or to the stems of grass or plants growing out 

 of the water. It prefers sloping banks but avoids exposure to the sun. It must 

 therefore be searched for in secluded spots, beneath loose grass, under pro- 

 jecting clods of earth or beneath stones. The bodies of water on whose shores it 

 is found are relatively clear, cool and still. It has not been found in large 

 canals where there is much traffic and where there is, therefore, much move- 

 ment of the water, but may be found not over four or five meters from such a 



canal, in a small terminal branch. It may be found singly or in groups 



It is occasionally found on stones or roots of grass, a few centimeters below 

 the surface of the water, but dredgings of deep water-grass have not been found 

 to contain it, nor has it been found in the bottom of a canal on whose shore it 

 was abundant. 



In the laboratory, if placed in a deep glass dish in shallow water, it usually 

 climbs out from the water in a few minutes, on the side of the dish away from 

 the window, and, after creeping* far enough to free itself from water, will fasten 

 its shell to the glass by mucus at the aperture, retreat into its shell and remain 

 there for hours or days. It may drop or creep back into the water, or may 

 possibly remain desiccated until death. Reimmersion in water after such drying, 

 usually brings the snail rapidly out of its shell and into full activity. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ONCOMELANIA ' 



Denticles on the marginal teeth 9: 5. 



Axial ribs 20 or more per whorl inoelloidorff'i. 



Axial ribs 18 or less per whorl longiscala. 



Denticles on the marginal teeth not 9 : 5. 

 Denticles on the marginal teeth 7 : 5. 



Axial ribs poorly developed cloiigala. 



Axial ribs strongly developed. 



Incremental lines strong hupensis. 



Incremental lines feeble sclniiackeri. 



Denticles on the marginals not 7:5. 



Denticles on the marginals 6:5 multicasla. 



* Heude's Hemibia crassa and Hemibia costulata are not included in this key 

 for want of material from the type locality. 



