1863.] MR. G. F. ANGAS ON SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LAND-SHELLS. 519 



Cassowary. In 1862, out of six eggs deposited, which we had every 

 reason to believe were duly impregnated, frequent copulation having 

 taken place with the male Mooruk, a single young one, apj)arently 

 a fine and healthy bird, was hatched on September 4th, after seven 

 weeks' incubation by the male bird. Unfortunately, however, the 

 young bird was destroyed by rats the night after its birth. 



3. On the Land-Shells of South Australia. 

 By George French Angas, Corr. Mem. 



Until very recently the terrestrial Molluscan fauna of the province 

 of South Australia was almost unknown to science, two species of 

 Helix, a Succinea, and a Blanfordia constituting all the described 

 species ; and of these, both the Helices occur also in other parts of 

 Australia, and the Blanfordia in Tasmania. The absence from the 

 colony of collectors or persons interested in natural history, and the 

 rarity and local distribution of the species, may account for our 

 hitherto limited acquaintance with the subject. 



The dryness of the climate during a greater portion of the year, 

 together with the absence of underwood or luxuriant vegetation, are 

 inimical to the development of the Pulmonifera in South Australia ; 

 whilst the rich belts of tropical forest called " brushes," that extend 

 along the east coast of Australia between the Cordillera and the 

 Pacific Ocean, are the abode of numerous fine species, including 

 those large Helices H. falconeri and H. macconnelli, and that pecu- 

 liar flattened group of which H. cunninghami may be regarded aS 

 the type. As these primeval belts of forest fall before the axe of the 

 settler the larger species will probably disappear at no very distant 

 period, or be found only in a semifossil state, like the Pachyotis of 

 St. Helena. With the exception of a small Succinea (S. arhorea. Ad. 

 & Aug.), none of the South Australian Pulmonifera appear to be 

 arboreal in their habits. The vast tracts of fertile park-like country, 

 studded with gigantic Eucalypti, are as destitute of Snails as are the 

 arid sandy regions of the Mallee scrub. The few localities through- 

 out the colony favourable to molluscan existence are those where 

 patches of small bushes occur amongst rocks and in deep glens and 

 ravines of hills, which afford shelter from the sun and the hot 

 northerly winds. Several species are also met with beneath the tufts 

 of "salt-bush" that are scattered over the vast plains of the interior 

 towards Lake Torrens, and in the crevices of sandstone rocks, and 

 under stones and decayed logs. 



During a residence of three years in South Australia my researches 

 were rewarded by the discovery of twelve new species of Helix, two 

 of Bidimus, a Succinea, and a Vertigo, many of which have been 

 lately described by Dr. Pfeiffer, &c., either in these 'Proceedings' 

 or in the French ' Journal de Conchyliologie.' 



Subjoined is a list of all the species of South Australian Pulmoni- 

 fera that have been described, to which are added descriptions of 

 several other species by Arthur Adams and myself. 



