petterd: gundlachia in Tasmania, 137 



as the Cuban shell; its occurrence here is very curious, but so 

 also is the presence of a Strophia — altogether the molluscan fauna 

 of Curacao is by no means of the character one might expect from 

 its geographical situation. 



Tudora megacheila, P. & M. There is great variety in 

 this species. The majority of the shells are strongly and regularly 

 ridged spirally, but others are smooth (var. S Pfr.); in size many 

 are barely half that of the rest; the color varies from pure white to 

 yellowish, but is often pink, brown, blue or bluish-purple. The 

 operculum differs greatly from that of the Jamaican Tudorce, 

 approaching that of Cydostomus. 



April, iSyg. 



DISCOVERY OF GUNDLACHIA IN TASMANIA. 

 By W. F. petterd. 



Gundlachia Petierdi, Johnston ; Pro. Royal Soc. Tasmania. 



On returning from a short collecting excursion to the Cataract 

 near Launceston, I was greatly surprised to find among my spoils 

 a remarkable looking shell. On bringing the lens to bear upon it 

 I at once saw it was something quite new for Tasmania, and at 

 first I thought it a malformed specimen of an Ancyliis, but closer 

 examination proved it to be a species of Gundlachia, a genus 

 hitherto unknown either in Tasmania or Australia, at least so far as 

 I am aware. In fact I am under the impression that G. ancylifonjiis 

 from Cuba is the only known species ; if such is the case this 

 is indeed an interesting discovery. It is found on the stems of 

 water plants and decaying leaves in a small swamp near Laun- 

 ceston. It has been described in a paper to the Royal Soc. Tas. 

 by my friend Mr. Johnston. 



