ON A NEW ALYCAEUS FROM THE KHASI HILLS. 

 By Lt.-Col. H. H. Godwin- Austen, F.R.S. 



In a tour made last year in the Khasi Hills Mr. Sunder Lai 

 Hora collected a number of shells. These he has sent me 

 together with others which he collected at Amingaon, across the 

 river from Gauhati. These shells have been determined. The 

 most interesting specimens he sends me, belong to the genus 

 Alycaeus and were "found under stones and damp leaves." They 

 turn out to be a new species, which I now describe and figure. 



Although I made the recess quarters of my Survey Part}' at 

 Cherrapunji for two summers, I never collected near Maosmai 

 cave and it has been left to Mr. Sunder Lai to discover the new 

 species, which will no doubt be found on the same limestone both 

 to the west and east of Cherrapunji in suitable places. I must 

 regret the delay in publication, but I have been so much occupied 

 with other matters that malacological work could not be touched. 

 Remarks on the anatomy of the animal must find a place later 

 on. 



Alycaeus maosmaiensis, sp. nov. 



Habitat. Khasi Hills, near Cherrapunji, at the mouth of the 

 Maosmai cave. 



Shell turbinate, openly umbilicate, small, sculpture: fine 

 costulation on the upper whorls, suddenly stronger and regular at 



the sutural tube, as far as 

 its base. Colour dull ochra- 

 ceous brown or very pale. 

 Spire conoid, apex blunt. 

 Suture impressed. The su- 

 tural tube rather short and 

 large in diameter through- 

 out. Whorls 4, the last 

 slightly swollen midwaj' be- 

 tween the aperture and the 

 tube, this portion smooth. 

 Aperture oblique, circular, 

 a slight angulation above, 

 rounded below. Peristome 

 solid, double, well defined. Columellar margin rounded. Major 

 diameter 4*0, alt. axis 2*0 mm. 



The species must be plentiful from the number sent to me in 

 spirit. It finds its nearest counterpart in its thickened simple 

 peristome in Alycaecus pachitaensis of the Dafla Hills, and may be 

 regarded as a representative of this form on the Khasi Hills, 

 south of the Brahmaputra. It is more tumid and globose and 

 flatter behind the peristome. 



Alyciieus maosmai ensis, sp. nov. 



