215 



from L. peregra]' and in the same volume, at p. 27, Mr. 

 Johnston expresses the opinion that L. Hohartensis and 

 L. Launcestonensis are merely varieties of the same species, while 

 finally Mr. Petterd has stated that /. . Huonensis is identical 

 with if. Lau7icestonensis and that L. Toismanica is the Euro- 

 pean L. stagnalis. Thus the four species of Tenison- Woods 

 are reduced to two, considered to be identical to European 

 forms, and at the same time the genus is erased from the 

 Tasmanian fauna. 



So far as regards one of the species, I protest against its 

 absorption in L.peregra. Without a comparison with specimens 

 named from the types, I am not sure of my identification, but 

 the species, which I claim to be indigenous, is probably 

 L. Huonensis. 



Some years since I received from Mr. E. M. Johnston a few 

 examples of a Limnaea, which fairly agree with the diagnosis 

 of L. Huonensis, but when the validity of the species came to 

 be challenged, I compared them with actual specimens of 

 L.peregra, and though I could not concur with the opinion that 

 they were identical, yet as my examples of L. Huonensis were 

 few and imperfect, I could not assert with confidence an 

 opinion to the contrary, and thus in my catalogue of Australian 

 freshwater shells (Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S.W., vol. v., p. 552), 

 L. Huonensis and th(^ three other Tasmanian species are expung- 

 ed from the list of endemic species. Since then, the question 

 has been reopened by the discovery of the same species on 

 our Continent in a locality that precludes the possibility of 

 accidental introduction ; to the better identification of the 

 continental shell, Mr. R. M. Johnston has lately forwarded a 

 sufficient number of examples of what is doubtlessly L. 

 Huonensis, and the result of my comparison is that they are 

 identical with that species and specifically distinct from 

 L. peregra. 



The new locality for L. Huonensis is on marshy ground, 

 produced by the issue of freshwater from beneath the sand- 

 dunes which line the margins of the backwaters of the 

 estuary of the River Glenelg. 



At this station, L. Huonensis has much the habit of L. 

 truncatula of Europe, living at the water's edge or amidst 

 the damp herbage ; it is profusely abundant. 



The very large number of examples examined permits to 

 say that L. Huonensis is constant in its characters, which do 

 not fall within the limits of variability of L. peregra. The 

 European analogue of L. Huonensis is L. peregra, from 

 which it may be distinguished by the almost obsolete fold of 

 the columella, concealed by one thin and broad expansion ; 

 in the less oblique revolution of the whorls and in the more 

 regularly pointed spire ; also by the simple margin of its 



