466 REV. A. H. COOKE ON [May 17, 



A word may be added with regard to three groups of islands 

 which link the Philippines with other points of geographical 

 interest. These are the Tular Islands, the Talautse Islands, and the 

 Bashee or Batan Islands. 



The Tular Islands are situated between Mindanao and Gilolo, in 

 Lat. 4° N., Long. 127° E. The only Mollusca which appear to he 

 known from them are ^ Helix physalis, Pfr., and Partula newcom- 

 biana, Hartm. Ancey ' doubts the correctness of the locality for the 

 latter (Salisbaboe Island, one of the group) . It is certainly, if correct, 

 the most westerly Partula known, the few species from the Pelew 

 Islands coming next. The Tular Islands are known to be volcanic, and 

 a more thorough knowledge of their fauna, as illustrating the relations 

 between Mindanao and Gilolo, would be most interesting. The 

 depth of water, both to the north and south of the group, is 

 extreme. 



From Sanghir, the largest of the Talautse Islands (situated in 

 Lat. 3°N., Long. 125° E,), the only Mollusca known are Cyclophorus 

 sericatus, Anc, and Obba linnceana, Pfr. The latter is a very 

 interesting shell, and approximates closely to the Celebesian forms 

 mamilla, Per., and quoyi, Desh. In the Brit. Mus. there is a 

 tablet of Oorasia leucophthalma, Pfr., from Sanghir Island, but I do 

 not feel confident of the authority. 



The Bashee or Batan Islands, lying midway between Luzon and 

 Formosa in Lat. 21° N., Long. 122° E., appear not to have been 

 visited by a naturalist since the voyage of the ' Samarang.' They are 

 a continuation of the volcanic chain which runs through the 

 Philippines, Formosa, and the Loo-Choo Islands to Japan and 

 Kamtschatka. The depth of water all round them is profound, 1000 

 fathoms being recorded immediately off the S. point of Formosa, 

 while the Ballintang Channel, which separates the Bashee Islands 

 from the Babuyanes, is certainly of great depth. The only Mollusca 

 known from these islands are Helix batanica, Ad. & Rve., Gochlo- 

 styla 1 speciosa, Jay, and Bulimus kochii, all from the island of 

 Ibugos (' Samarang,' Zoology Preface, Narrative, vol. i. p. 72). 

 Helicc batanica, a sinistral species, appears to be of a thoroughly 

 Chinese or Formosan type, belonging to the same section as 

 peliomphala, ^h'.,formosensis, Pfr., and bacca, Pfr. The Cochlostyla, 

 on the other hand, is of course Philippine, and it is very remark- 

 able that the species should occur on an island separated by such 

 great depths from the Philippines proper. "What the exact species 

 may be is uncertain. Adams originally considered it to be G. speciosa. 

 Reeve afterwards described it (Conch. Ic, Helix, pi. ix. f. 2) as 

 batanica, afterwards altered to volubilis. Pfeiifer regarded it as 

 either his dubiosa or as decipiens, Sowb. Hidalgo thinks it a variety 

 of damahoyi, Pfr. (Journ. de Conch. 1887, p. 129). What 

 ' Bulimus kochii ' may be (Adams says it occurred in three varieties, 



1 Described in Mai. Blatt. xviii. 1871, p. 123, from Mr. J. H. Thomson's 

 collection. In the Nomenclator Hel. Viv. it is classified as a Cochlostyla. An 

 examination of specimens in Mr. J. H. Ponsonby's collection, received from 

 Mr. Thomson, makes me very doubtful on tliis point. 



2 Le Nat. 1889, p. 266. 



