1877.] MR. G. V. ANGAS ON HELIX SEPULCU RALIS. 803 



or whether all the Solomon-Island specimens show this obvious tint. 

 Besides, the blue of the belly appears to be deeper, and some feathers 

 have in certain lights a greenish shade. 



11. Notes on the Helix sepulchralis of Ferussac and its Allies ; 

 with Descriptions of two Species. By George French 

 Angas, C.M.Z.S., F.L.S., F.R.G.S., &c. 



[Eeceived October 2G, 1877.] 

 (Plate LXXX.) 



The confusion that appears to exist amongst conchologists with 

 regard to the nomenclature of certain lanC shells from the island of 

 Madagascar (hitherto passing as varieties of Helix sepulchralis of 

 Ferussac) has induced me to make a careful examination of this some- 

 what protean group of Snails. After having referred to all that authors 

 have written concerning them, and inspected a very large series of 

 specimens, I am of opinion that several species, each presenting cer- 

 tain constant and distinctive characters sufficient to justify their sepa- 

 ration, have been mixed up under the general name of sepulchralis. 



Fe'russac, in his 'Hist. Moll.,' first describes Helix sepulchralis, 

 giving the diagnosis of the species as follows : — " H. testa orbiculato- 

 convexa, subdepressa, late umbilicata, glabra, castanea, subtus albo 

 zonata, apice alba ; labro valde expanso, intus albo, margme rejlexo." 



The type shell is figured by Ferussac on plate 75. fig. I ; and on 

 plate 75 c there are given as varieties figs. 1-12. Pfeiffer, in the 

 • Monographia Heliceorum viventium,' also says Helix sepulchralis is 

 "late umbilicata.'' Reeve, in the ' Conchologia Iconica,' describes 

 the species as being broadly umbilicated, and on plate 39 of his 

 Monograph of Helix gives three figures. The first of these, 147 a, 

 represents the true sepulchralis; 147 6 is a distinct shell, and has 

 since been described and figured by Crosse in the ' Journal de Con- 

 chyhologie' for I8G9, p. 391, plate 12. fig. 3, under the name of 

 Helix subsepulchralis ; whilst 147 c I regard as a third species, for 

 which I propose the name of Helix hova. 



Amongst the shells thus confused together under the general 

 name of sepulchralis, there appear to me to be at least four separate 

 species, all of which, though displaying, more or less, certain cha- 

 racters which I regard as belonging to the group, are yet easily re- 

 cognizable at once as being distinct. 



First comes the Helix sepulchralis proper (Plate LXXX. figs. 1, 2), 

 the leading characters of which may be thus briefly noted. Shell 

 double the size, or nearly so, of its allies ; widely and perspectively 

 umbilicated ; spire very slightly raised ; whorls with the concentric 

 depression moderate, and carried through all the whorls to the apex ; 

 the upper surface of the body-whorl coarsely obliquely plicately 

 malleated ; colour either dark purplish chestnut, or pale olive-green 

 inclining to violet near the apex, with occasionally a white band 

 surrounding the umbilical region, but never banded above. 



