124 G. Nevill — New and little-knoivn Indo-Malayan Mollusca. [July, 



the Philippines, in Formosa, <fcc, as well as of some new Rissoina which 

 are being figured by Dr. Weinkauif for the forthcoming monograph in the 

 new edition of the well known standard work, the ' Conchylica Cabinet.' 



A new species of the brackish- water genus Fairbankia, which was 

 discovered by Mr. F. Fedden 10 feet below the surface in Kathiawar, is 

 also described. 



In his preface Mr. Nevill alludes to the unmerited oblivion into 

 which some upper cretaceous Helicidoe described by Dr. Stoliczka appear 

 to have fallen. The author also makes some observations on the distri- 

 bution and probable origin of the land Mollusca of the Madagascar region 

 in connection with some remarks by Mr. A. R. Wallace in his recent work 

 ' Island Life.' 



This paper will be published in the Journal, Part II, No. 3, for 1881. 



Mr. Fedden said : — I may mention that the Rissoid shell from the 

 Rann, described in Mr. Nevill's paper, and placed by him somewhat 

 doubtingly in the genus Fairbankia, was obtained, together with about 

 a dozen other semi-fossil shells, from a clay bed ten feet below the surface 

 of the " Little Rami" (as it is called, on the north side of Kathiawar) — 

 the .bed from which the brine is obtained at the salt works near Kiira 

 (or Kuda) in the Dhrangadra State. There is first the surface soil, an 

 earthy clay, then a dark plastic clay, thirdly a brown clunch, a close 

 stiff clay, and fourthly the fossiliferous clay, which is dark, bluish and 

 plastic, highly saline and gypseous (crystals of gypsum). The base was 

 not reached in the brine pits. From this lower clay I obtained by washing 

 a number of small shells, among which are the following : — 



Firenella, probably two species of this prettily marked shell, the 

 most numerous. 



Along with these a few specimens of Tympanotomus fluviatilis, (one 

 of the Ceritliidce), now common on the coast near the mouths of streams. 



Assiminea, a sub-genus of Missoa, and one or two other Rissoids. 



A pretty little Melampus, probably a variety of M. striatus. 



Then there are apparently two species of the minute shell Stenothyra ; 

 one species is minima, the other I should call major, if new. 



There is also a little shell that Mr. Nevill thinks may be a new species 

 of the rare genus Theora, and of bivalves a Glaucomya (Glauconome), near, if 

 not identical with, the Chinese species (Chinensis), a common borer in tidal 

 mud banks, and one or two other shells not yet examined. 



It will be seen that the collection, though small, is of some interest 

 to the Conchologist as well as the Geologist. The general fades presents 

 a mingling of brackish-water with marine forms, and, considering that 

 the locality is situated 65 miles from the present head of the Gulf of 



