86 [No. 2, 



The Malacology of Lower Bengal and the adjoining provinces ; by 

 Fjerd. Stoliczka, Esq., Ph. D., P. G-. S., &c, Paleontologist of the 

 Geological Survey of India. 



[Eeceived and read 4th November 1868.] 



Under the above title I propose to record a series of papers, the 

 special object of which is the exposition of the Molluscous fauna of 

 Lower Bengal and of the adjoining provinces. It is not my intention 

 to follow in these papers any systematic arrangement, but simply to 

 bring the materials, as they are collected, to the notice of Conchologists. 

 At first sight it may seem that there is hardly a necessity for a 

 series of such papers, as the Molluscous fauna of Bengal is pretty well 

 known through the valuable researches of H. Benson, W. T. Blanford, 

 and others. With regard to our knowledge of the shells, or the solid 

 parts of Molluscs, this statement would deserve a fair consideration, 

 but it is marvellous how very ignorant we are of the soft parts of the 

 respective animals. The course of study pursued in Conchology 

 during the last twenty years, has shewn that no systematic arrange- 

 ment can be attempted without the due knowledge of the animals, 

 even generic and specific determinations are sometimes impossible to 

 be carried out without them. Comparative anatomy and morphology 

 of our Molluscs are equally deficient as the principal elements. 



Strictly speaking it is by no means surprising that the anatomy 

 of our Indian Molluscs is as yet so little known. The shells are easily 

 preserved and more or less commonly found at all times of the year. 

 The animals on the contrary are met with only at certain seasons 

 characterized by a large proportion of moisture in the atmosphere, 

 which combined with the tropical heat often rapidly decomposes the 

 animal substance, while under the knife and the needle. Besides few 

 of our able conchologists had had the opportunity of observing many 

 live animals, and the examination of specimens, preserved in spirit, 

 glycerine, &c, are very easily misleading, so as to give various organs 

 a different interpretation from that to which they are actually destined. 



During the course of my papers I shall, therefore, endeavour to pay 

 special attention to the soft parts of the animals, to the anatomical 



