1885.] FROM THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. 593 



and form, apparently resulting from difference of habitat. The 

 typical form occurs in San Christoval and Ugi, and also in Guadal- 

 canar and New Georgia, but in a somewhat dwarfed condition. An 

 entirely white variety with a pellucid zone on the upper surface, 

 occupving the position of the brown band iu the type, was collected 

 by Macgillivray on San Christoval. Mr. Guppy obtained several 

 forms of this species at Choiseul Bay, Sliortlaud, Treasury, Simbo, 

 Rua Sura, and Santa Anna Islands. 



The speciaiens from the last locality (var. meridionalis, fig. G b) are 

 smaller than the type, pale brown above, with a white thread-hke 

 line at the suture, and the acutely keeled periphery, paler beneath, 

 especially towards the centre, and have the aperture particularly 

 acuminate at the termination of the keel. These specimens, which 

 were found by Mr. Guppy living " on young cocoa-nut palms 

 growing on low ground bordering the sea," recall to mind H. eva 

 from the New Hebrides, which, hoivever, has a narrower body- 

 whorl, usually a coloured lip, and is generally of a more solid 

 texture. 



The specimens from Simbo (var. simhoana, fig. 6 a) are uniformly 

 pale horn-colour, rather sharply carinate at the middle, and have the 

 peristome white, considerably thickened and almost notched at the 

 upper end of the columella, and the body-whorl is more contracted 

 than in the typicnl form. The examples from Choiseul Bay, Short- 

 land and Treasury Islands (var. septentrionalis, fig. G) are all alike, of 

 smaller dimensions than the normal form, thin, pale brownish horn- 

 colour, with rather more convex whorls than usual, the carina at the 

 periphery being acute a.id thread-like as in the variety simboana. 



Whether these several varieties should take specific rank is 

 questionable, for, although there is considerable difference between 

 the extreme forms, even in the series of nearly one hundred speci- 

 mens under examination, the gradual transition from one form to 

 another is observable. 



15. Helix (Videna) merziana, Pfeiffer. 



Hub. Ugi Island. 



Neither of the two specimens from this locality is typical, nor 

 are they both alike. One is about the usual size, but less sharply 

 carinate, of a paler colour above and variegated with less of the 

 opaque streaks. The second specimen is more abnormal, especially 

 hi form, and rather like P. meleayris, Pir., except that it is keeled. 

 The two species already mentioned, also H. deiopeia, Angas, and H. 

 sehacea, Pfr. { = H. cerealis. Cox, afterwards changed to //. thorpei- 

 ana by Brazier), are all very closely related, H. seUicea (stated by 

 Pfeiffer to be from the Admiralty Islands) evidently beuig but a 

 pale variety of H. meleacjris. 



The typical form inhabits San Christoval and New Georgia. 

 H. meleayris and H. deiopeia are found at Guadalcanar, and the 

 special locaHty of //. sehacea is unknown, " the Admiralty Islands " 

 given by Pfeiffer probably being one of the many false habitats 

 emanating from Cuming's collection. Having the actual types of 



