On a new Species of Helicida?. from Neio Zealand. 159 



XIX. — Description of a new Species of Helicida? from New 

 Zealand. By Edgar A. Smith. 



In { The Zoologist ' for the year 1879, on page 61, are pub- 

 lished a few observations upon a specimen of this species, 

 which I then conjectured to be merely an abnormal growth of 

 Paryphanta Hochstetteri. Lately, however, through the libe- 

 rality of Mr. Justice Gillies of Auckland, New Zealand, the 

 British Museum has become possessed of a second example 

 of this interesting shell. The very remarkable characteristic, 

 the flexibility of its substance, I formerly considered might 

 have been produced by its having been reared in some 

 situation where the creature was unable to procure sufficient 

 carbonate of lime for the production of an internal shelly 

 lining. Mr. Gillies, however, informs me that this pliability 

 of structure is a constant feature in all the specimens he has 

 seen, and that they never attain to the size of the adult P. 

 Hochstetteri. Such being the case, and taking into consider- 

 ation other differences of form and sculpture, I now feel no 

 hesitation in describing this as a new and very interesting 

 species. 



Helix [Paryphanta) Gilliesii. 



Shell umbilicated, compressed, pliable, smooth and rather 

 glossy, exhibiting lines of growth and obsolete spiral striation 

 upon the upper surface ; colour dark chestnut, varied with 

 spiral yellowish lines of different widths and number in diffe- 

 rent specimens. Spire depressed, probably not prominent at 

 the apex, which is crushed into the cavity of the penultimate 

 whorl in the two specimens before me. Whorls about five or 

 six, very slightly convex, the last large, obtusely keeled in the 

 crushed state of the dead shell, but rounded when inflated, 

 not united at the suture to the previous volution for some 

 distance from the aperture ; the latter is oblique, brown 

 within, and without a shelly lining. Peristome thin, the 

 upper margin (viewed laterally) oblique, arcuate, not united 

 to the columellar extremity by the slightest vestige of a 

 callosity. 



Greatest diameter 35 millims., smallest 28 millims. Height 

 of crushed specimen about 7 millims., of one stuffed out with 

 wool about 14 millims. 



Hah. Whakamarama range of mountains, north-west of 

 Nelson. 



All the specimens known to Mr. Gillies have been found 

 in a crushed condition, and containing more or less dried 

 mud. 



