192 JOURNAl. OF CONCHOLOGY, VOL. I3, NO. 6, APRII,, I9II, 



or sub-genera Porpkyrobap/ie Shuttleworth, Ligiiiis Montfort, Corona All)ers, 

 Heniibiilimus v. Martens, and Oithalicns Beck (inclusive of Metorthaliciis Pilsb. ). 

 In the classification of these groups, few in species, but mainly differing in the 

 sculpture of their nepionic whorls, and the dentition of their radulre, Tilsbry (Man. 

 of Conch., 1899) and A. .Strebel (Revision der Unterfamilie der Orthalicinse, 1909) 

 must be followed. The last mentioned work is, perhaps, the fuller in detail, and 

 contains a larger number of individual delineations of forms of the various species. 

 Besides the collections belonging to the Manchester Museum, the principal exhibits 

 were from the collections of Mrs. Gill, Messrs. Edward Collier, R. Cairns, and 

 J. C. Melviij, and, taken together, nearly all the described forms were shown, with 

 the exception, perhaps, of the few newly introduced species of Dr. H. Strebel. 

 Conspicuous among them was a full series of that most beautiful of all the species 

 Metoithalicits adannonii Gray, shewing variety in coloration, size, and depth of 

 colour. The young of this species, with an egg of the same, was among the series. 

 One specimen, which had been acquired at the sale of Mr. T. Lombe Taylor's 

 collection in 1879 by Mr. J. C. Melvill, had attached to it an interesting label in 

 the handwriting o{ Mr. Hugh Cuming, which may be considered worth transcription, 

 and reads as follows: — "I have just received this most beautiful rare shell, two good 

 ones, and one bad one. If you refer to Plate 26, fig. 165, of Reeve's Conch. Icon, 

 you will see what a contrast there is betwixt the 10 guineas shell and the one I have 

 the pleasure of sending to you. Mr. White paid Mr. Reeve 10 guineas for it. The 

 other I shall put into my cabinet " (H.C. to T.L.T.). The date of this note is 

 probably 1853. A New Granatia and Columbian species, it was not found 

 in any comparative frequency till comparatively recently, and held the position of 

 one of the most sought after shells in existence, whose place has been now taken by 

 Met. labeo Brod., an extraordinary species with remarkably swollen and pustulate 

 lip, the body of the shell being warm chestnut colour with a single central trans- 

 verse band. A specimen of this was exhibited by Mr. Melvill, from Chachapoyas, 

 Andes of Peru. At the sale at Stevens' Auction Rooms of Mr. DaCosta's collection, 

 in 1907, two examples of this occurred shewing variety, one being without the 

 central band. These specimens, or at all events, one of them, were purchased 

 for the National collection at South Kensington. Other rarities shown were 

 Tholus biickleyi Higgins, from Ecuador, two of the original specimens discovered 

 in 1871 by the late Mr. Buckley, and which were sold by him to Mr. Melvill the 

 following year, with a third very similar example from Dr. Cox's collection. This 

 species with its elongate form, thick corrugate substance, and pinkish-lilac interior, 

 seems allied in some respects to Placostylns Beck from the New Caledonian 

 region. Likewise various forms of Metorthaliciis yatesi Pfr. , sublabeo Dohrn, 

 vicarius Fulton, Powisianus Pfr., approximatus Fulton, airanientarius Pfr., 

 Fraseri Pfr. var. brevispira Pilsb. , a remarkable form which at one time was called 

 " Victor Pfr." but whether the true species is uncertain. Likewise attention 

 was drawn to the rare Porphyrobaphe Grevilli Pfr. also collected in Ecuador by 

 Mr. Buckley, Hemibiilivnis iris Pfr. — Wallisiantis Mousson, and H. dennisoni 

 Reeve. This last species described as an Achatina originally, is conspicuous for 

 its truncate columella. The true ''Bulimus" dennisoni also of Reeve, was 

 shewnby Mr. Melvill. It is now included by Dr. Strebel (though not by Pilsbry) 

 in the same genus Heviibnlivms, but if this be the case, the specific name of 

 one will have to be altered, even though it forms the type of the snb-gaiits 

 Myiorthaliciis Strebel. Taken altogether, the extreme beauty and fine condition 

 of the species shewn rendered the opportunity one of the most successful for some 

 time past, and proved the utility of co-operation being invited, and a special 

 subject for the evening selected. 



