71 



On the Geographical Relations of the 



PULMONIFEROUS MOLLUSCA OF VICTORIA. 



By Pkofessoe Ealph Tate, A.L.S., F.G.S., &c. 

 [Read September 6, 1881.] 



As the result of two lengthy holidays spent in Yictoria, for 

 the especial purpose of studying its natural history, I hold the 

 opinion that that country is extremely poor in species of land 

 and fresh-water snails. This paucity of species is the more 

 surprising and disappointing, as from the varied surface 

 features of the country, its perennial streams, lakes of fresh 

 water, humid glens, and other favourable habitats of the 

 molluscan denizens of land and water, one would have expected 

 to find a rich fauna. 



But despite the very close searching which I have made 

 about Hamilton, Clunes, Ballarat, Pernshaw, and around 

 Port Philip Bay, I have encountered very few species, and, for 

 the most part individuals are not at all numerous. 



Correspondence with other observers who have collected in 

 Gippsland and the Cape Otway Eanges has elicited the same 

 experiences. 



The list of the fluviatile pulmoniferous snails comprises 

 Limncca, two species ; Aplexa, five species ; and Ancyhis, one 

 species ; making a total of eight, or less than ten per cent, of 

 the described species inhabiting Australia. Only one of the 

 eight — Ancyhis austraUcus — is extra-limital, occurring near 

 Adelaide and about Melbourne. (For list of species see 

 Appendix II., p. 76). 



The terrestrial pulmonates, which all belong to the family 

 Helicidfe, are represented by a comparatively limited number 

 of species. 



Dr. Cox, who has embodied in his " Monograph of the Land 

 Shells of Australia" the labours of previous authors, mentions 

 only four species of Helix and one species of Vitrina. 



Mr. Brazier, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1871, describes, as mew, one 

 species of IlelLv and one species of JBulinms. 



The Eev. J. E Tenison Woods, Proc. Lin. Soc. X.S.W., 1878, 

 describes a new HeUx, and adds a previously unrecorded 

 species. 



Mr. Petterd, in Journ. of Conchology and in his " Tasmaniau 



