THE COOK'S OR HARVEY ISLANDS. 395 



I have now before me a dozen examples of Ceylon Stenogyra, which I received 

 labelled Bulimus gracilis, Hutton. They comprise two species, one of vs^hich coin- 

 cides in every character with our South Sea shells. 



Prof. Moussen's S. novemgyrata, which I also add to the synonymy, is thus 

 described : — 



" T. obtecte subrimata, conico-turrita, tenuis, diaphana, striata, dilute virens. 

 Spira regulariter spirata; summo obtusulo ; sutura liniari impressa. Anfr. 9, 

 sensim accrescentes, convexiusculi, ad suturam tumiduli et fortiter striati, ssepe 

 tenuiter denudati;. ultimus non descendens, media minus rotundatus, fere planus. 

 Apert. 5 altitudinis subsequans, paulo obliqua (20° cum axi) acute ovalis. Perist. 

 rectum, acutum ; 'marginibus distantibus ; dextro medio antrorsum arcuatim pro-, 

 ducti ; basali arcuatim retracto ; columellari minime incrassato et appresso ; colu- 

 mella oblique subplicata. Long. 13, diam. 3.2 mill. Rat. 5:1. Kat. apert. 7:5." 

 (Mousson.) 



Having personally collected thousands of examples in nearly all parts of Poly- 

 nesia, I find they vary in length, number and convexity of the whorls, develop- 

 ment of strise, more or less open columella chink, which is sometimes closed, and 

 in color varies from whitish to pale greenish-horn color. In texture from thin 

 pellucid, smooth shining to thick opaque cretaceous without lustre. 



Prof. Mousson's elaborate descriptions are the most correct, and he is the only 

 author who alludes to the subplicate columella. 



They live under loose stones, beneath decaying wood and leaves, ranging from" 

 the sea-shore to over two thousand feet above sea-level. 



GENUS PARTULA, Ferussac. 

 P. AssiMiLis, Pease. 



Partula assimilis, Pease, Amer. Jour. Conch., 186Y, p. 230, PI. 15, figs. 28-29; Jour, de Conch 

 1870, p. 401 ; Proc. Zool. Soc, 1811, p. 473. Schmeltz, Cat. Mus. Godeff., v. p. 92. Pfeiffer 

 Mon. Hel., viii. p. 197. 



Partula Gookiana, ("Moussi.") Paetel, Cat. Conch., p. 104. 



Not uncommon on bushes in the higher portions of a few valleys on Rarotonga, 

 where it is peculiar. In some valleys, where it was formerly abundant, it appears 

 to /have become extinct. My conclusions are based on the profusion of half decom- 

 posed shells scattered over the grounds, and not observing any living example. 



The only variation is, some are more or less striped with light purple-brown 

 and more rarely the peristome is stained with purple flesh color. The apex is 

 more frequently dark reddish-brown or purple-black. In shape it is more nearly 

 related to P. dura, a very rare Tahitian species, than to the common varia of 



