91 



an opening in the terminal and posterior part of the foot Instead of 

 from the foramen commune, the animal of Hel. interrupta differs 

 most materially from the other Helices. The angulated periphery 

 of the shell shows an approach to Carocolla, but Mr. Benson is not 

 aware that the animal of this genus differs from that of Helix. From 

 Hel. Himalayana, Lea, the Hel. interrupta is distinguished by its 

 peculiar sculpture ; its spire is also more exserted. 



The collection also contained specimens of an Arcaceous Shell 

 found in the bed of the Jumna at Humeerpore in Bundelkund. Its 

 form, its lozenge-shaped ligamental scar, and the position and order 

 of the teeth are those of the Arcacete generally ; while the oblique 

 production of the teeth on the posterior side down the inner surface 

 of the cardinal lamina ; the separation of the teeth into two sets by 

 the interposition of an edentate portion of the cardinal lamina ; and 

 the freedom of the shell from ribs, with the exception of the ridges 

 which occur at its angles ; distinguish it from the marine Arcacece. 

 Mr. Benson proposes for the fluviatile form the generic appellation 

 Scaphula. 



Referring to specimens contained in the collection of a new form 

 of Solenaceous Shell, described by him in the ' Journal of the Asi- 

 atic Society of Calcutta,' under the name of Novaculina, Mr. Ben- 

 son describes also a second species of the genus which he has recently 

 obtained from South America, and points out the characters which 

 distinguish it from Nov. Gangetica. 



The following Note by Mr. Benson relative to the importation of 

 the living Cerithium Telescopium, Brug., adverted to at the Meeting 

 on March 25, 1834, (page 22,) was read. 



" The possibility of importing from other countries, and especially 

 from the warmer latitudes, the animals which construct the innu- 

 merable testaceous productions that adorn our cabinets and mu- 

 seums, the accurate knowledge of which is so necessary to enable 

 the conchologist rightly to arrange this beautiful department of na- 

 ture, must be an interesting subject to every naturalist, and will 

 render no apology necessary for the following notices extracted from 

 my journal. Their publicity may incite others who may have op- 

 portunities of trying the experiment to follow the example. 



" January 1832. Observed near the banks of the canal leading 

 from the eastern suburb of Calcutta to the Salt Lake at Balliaghat, 

 heaps of a Cardita with longitudinal riljs, of a large and thick Cy- 

 rena, and of Cerithium Telescopium, exposed to the heat of the sun 

 for the purpose of effecting the death and decay of the included ani- 

 mals previously to tlie reduction of the shells into lime. 



" Early in the month I took specimens of them, and leaving them 

 for a night in fresh water I was surprised to find two Cerithia alive. 

 I kept them during a fortnight in fresh water, and on the 22nd 

 Januaiy carried them, packed up in cotton, on board a vessel bound 

 for England. After wc had been several days at acn I placed them 



