130 Chusan Shells. [No. 2. 



In the female, JDr. Cantor found from 7 to 10 young ones of different 

 sizes. This species forms a common and favourite article of food 

 with the Chinese, and large supplies were exposed for sale in the 

 market at Tingnae." 



Palttdina lecythoiues, Benson. 



Testa ovato-acuta, olivacea ; anfractibus sex aut septem rotundatis, 

 transverse subplicatis ; suturis excavatis ; apertura oblonga ; peri- 

 stomate subreflexo, nigro ; apice acuto ; umbilico setate evanescente. 



Nearly allied to Gray's P. chinensis, and to Paludina lecythes 

 nobis (Journ. As. Soc. Vol. V. page 745). It differs from the latter 

 in its more produced form, more acute apex, the slighter convexity 

 of the whorls, and its greater solidity. Prom P. chinensis, which 

 has an eroded apex in the specimen figured, and which it resembles 

 in habit, it differs in the absence of any angularity at the base of 

 the aperture, which is also less oblique in the shell under review. 

 In young specimens the olive-coloured epidermis has a lutescent 

 tinge, and dark stripes accompany the plicae of growth. The colours 

 are darker in adults, and in one variety, the lower portion of the 

 last whorl is ornamented by a series of light coloured longitudinal 

 bands In the very young shell, the aperture equals the spire in 

 length ; the spire is conoidal, and the peritrema of the last whorl, 

 angular and subcarinate. The same characters are observable in 

 the embryo, but the apex, in the latter state, is produced in a papil- 

 lary form. 



" Lives in the mud in ditches and fresh-water ponds. Not numer- 

 ous. The snail, when once removed from its native element, keeps 

 itself shut up, although confined in water. It is a favourite food 

 with the Chinese, who eat it prepared in the same manner as other 

 edible snails, viz. boiled. The embryones, which vary from 8 to 12, 

 are somewhat larger than those of P. quadrata, and their shells are 

 colourless and semitransparent, whereas the embryo of the latter is 

 frequently of a dark colour." 



Palttdina (Bithinia, Gray) longicornis, Benson. 



Testa ovato-couoidea, cornea, polita, spira aperturam longitudine 

 vix superante ; anfractibus quatuor, ultimo convexo, suturis minitne 

 depressis; apertura subrotuuda, supra angulata; perisfcomate subre- 



