THE 



JOU RNAL 



OF 



CONCHO I. OGY. 



THE LAND SHELLS OF GIBRALTAR.* 

 By Dr. W. KOBELT. 



[Read before the Conchological Society.] 



The rock of Gibraltar, on account of its favourable position 

 between Spain and Marocco, is one of the specially interesting 

 localities for the conchologist. The investigation of the molluscous 

 fauna on the columns of Hercules is of the greatest importance 

 with regard to the question as to the former connexion between 

 Europe and Africa, and on the north side of the Straits the rock 

 of Gibraltar is the only spot at all favourable to the development 

 of land shells. I was collecting there for several days in May, 

 1 88 1, and have been able to obtain a large number of interesting 

 molluscs, upon which I make the following brief report. However, 

 I hardly venture to hope that my results are absolutely complete. 

 Having been but once in Gibraltar I could only gather those 

 specimens which survived the winter, and very young ones 

 which had made their appearance before the month of May. For 

 this reason I found one beautiful Xerophile, only in a very 

 immature condition, also a probably new Hyalina, H. Coquandi 



* Translated from the original by Mr, R. Scharff, Edinburgh University. 



