162 



to the other members of the genus. The specimen is believed to be 

 unique. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. On Stoastomid^e as a Family, and on Seven proposed 

 New Genera, Sixty-one New Species, and Two New 

 Varieties from Jamaica. By the Hon. Edward Chitty. 



Stoastomida ! When I first open my cabinet of this Family to 

 the spectator, two observations are generally made. The one, " How 

 minute ! how could you trouble yourself with such specks ! they are 

 not worth seeing, for we cannot see them." Then follows, " Well, 

 they are very wonderful ; but how did you collect them ? " 



To the first observation I answer, " True, they are but specks, and 

 have very much injured my eyesight ; but they are worth seeing 

 under the microscope ; for they are worthy to rank, and must rank, 

 in point of sculpture, with the most wonderful and beautiful shells 

 known to conchologists, and most of them are most worthy of a 

 sculptor's or designer's study." Among the Helices, Pupce, Acha- 

 tince, Cylindrellce, Bulimi, &c. there are plenty of minute species 

 almost microscopic, and interesting enough ; but, under the micro- 

 scope, these only improve in size, and no further beauties are un- 

 folded, and little further interest is given to them by its use. The 

 StoastomidcB, however, are not only wonderful for their minuteness, 

 and from the knowledge that, however minute, they are part of an 

 animal, perfect in its anatomy as that of the largest shell ; but the 

 form and sculpture of each species are so marked, that the microscope 

 brings out in each, new beauties and new wonders, entitling them to 

 rank among the most wonderful works in animal creation. And to 

 say the least of these Stoastomidce, " They are shells, and beautiful 

 ones too, and are not only worthy, but must, — being known to exist, 

 — be in every cabinet that pretends to the smallest degree of perfec- 

 tion or completion." 



To the second I shall reply by practical information which I think 

 will be valued. 



"Easily attained, little valued," may be taken as a good general 

 maxim. But my love for this family arose from a difficulty ; and as 

 it involves the history of Stoastoma, I may be permitted to relate it. 



In the winter of 1848-49 the late Prof. C. B. Adams paid 

 me a visit in Jamaica ; and looking over a limited collection, he ob- 

 served that which is now known as Stoastoma pisum. The singu- 

 larity of its semicircular mouth was noticed by him, as it had been 

 by me ; but it then stood alone, and he put it on one side to be de- 

 cribed as Helicina pisum, hesitating to give it generic importance. 

 He next visited Manchester parish, the principal habitat of St. 

 pisum ; and meanwhile I, in my own garden in St. Thomas in the 

 East parish, close to Yallahs Hill, found a minute shell with a some- 

 what similar mouth, about which I corresponded with him. This 



