656 Notices of some Land and Fresh Water Shells [July, 



13. — Limncea truncatula (Gray). 



L . fossarius (Turton) . 



L. minuta (Lam). 



Animal grey. This is another European species very common on 

 the marsh lands bordering the river Helmund at Ginshk, as well as in 

 similar situations at the Kojuck Pass and at Quettah. 



In Gray's edition of Turton' s British shells, the European shell is 

 stated to be " half an inch long" and to have " six or seven rounded 

 and deeply divided volutions," — whereas the largest of the Afghan 

 shells does not exceed 3^ lines, and the whorls are only five in number 

 exclusive of apex. These differences which at first sight might be 

 supposed to indicate distinct species, are however counterbalanced by 

 the fact that the shells of Limncea truncatula are said to be " extremely 

 variable in size and colour, according to the locality in which they are 

 found, and the abundance of their food," and " Mr. Alder observes, 

 that a variety of a much smaller size is found on the margins of rivers, 

 another is found in mountain streams." — (Gray's Turton's British 

 shells). 



These latter remarks are strictly applicable to the Afghan shell and 

 leave no doubt as to its being one of the varieties of the European 

 species. 



Mr. Benson likewise informed me that he had taken still smaller 

 specimens than mine, in Ireland. 



14. — Limncea Bactriana (Hutton). 



Animal mottled black and grey. 



Shell small, brittle, T 9 F of an inch long ; spire loosely and obliquely 

 twisted ; sutures deep, whorls rounded, aperture ovate long ; pillar lip 

 partially reflected ; shell closely striate transversely ; aperture occupy- 

 ing f of the shell ; colour pale greenish brown ; whorls 4. 



This shell has very much the appearance of the young of Limncea 

 chlamys (Benson), of the gangetic provinces, but the whorls are more 

 rounded, and the spire more horizontally twisted and less awl-shaped. 

 The size however would alone distinguish i., as the largest do not 

 exceed T 9 ^ of an inch, whereas my Scindh specimens of L. chlamys are 

 2 inches. The general size of Indian specimens is about 1^ inches. 



It occurred in marsh lands and streams at Quettah, in Afghanis- 

 tan. 



