JAMAICA—LAND MOLLUSCA 
301 
how the animal protrudes itself or retires again. Some of the 
smaller species of Pleurodonte, Fischer, are instances of this latter 
characteristic. The genus is endemic to Jamaica, and we met with 
one or more species at every place we visited, in all twenty-three 
distinct forms being taken. The species with the exception of P. acuta , 
Lam., and P. sinuata, Mull., have a limited range. I found the 
former or one of its varieties wherever we went, except at Montego 
Bay, but the latter I only happened to meet with at Walderston, 
though Mr. Jarvis states that its distribution is general. Very 
fine examples of P. acuta were obtained near Walderston by turning 
over a heap of big stones by the roadside; these varied in the colour 
of the inside of the lip from deep mauve to light brown, the teeth 
also varied both in size and number, there being either one or two, 
or else they might be absent altogether. The small var. sublucerna , 
Pils., was taken abundantly among dead leaves near the Bio Cobre 
at Spanish Town, and small forms which come very near this variety 
were found at Mandeville. There occurred near Mackfield, as well 
as the typical form, a large variety which was remarkably flat and thin. 
In the district of Mackfield—which was particularly rich in shells— 
many of the smaller species with numerous teeth occurring there, such 
as P. schroeteriana, Pfr., P. picturata } Ads., P. tridentina, Fer., and 
P. oJceniana, Pfr. The first-named was especially abundant under 
the sheaths of the leaves forming the stems of banana trees. 1 Two 
dead representatives only of P. bronni, Pfr., were found at Montego 
Bay. No species taken were common to both Montego Bay and 
Mackfield, but P. sloaneana, Shuttl., was found at the former place, 
and also at Montpelier. P. invalida , Ads., was met with both in the 
neighbourhood of Spanish Town and Constant Spring. P. sinuosa , 
Fer., was found at the latter, but appeared only to be represented by 
its var. simson, Pfr., at the former locality. Besides P. acuta , only 
two species were seen common to Mandeville and Walderston, 
viz. P. bainbridgei, Pfr., and P. peracutissima, Ads., the specimens 
of the former were dead. P. car a, Ads., was taken at Walderston 
alone. At this locality a small variety of P. peracutissima was found 
resembling P. cara in size and P. schroeteriana in the lighter colour 
of the keel. There are also two specimens of this peculiar form in 
the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). The commonest species at Port 
Antonio was P. valida , Ads. 
1 Mr. William Fawcett, F.L.S., whose knowledge of the plant is unrivalled, tells 
me that the Banana has no true stem. The flower bud is formed at the level of the 
ground and grows up through the leaf-sheaths until it makes its appearance where 
the leaf-stalks separate. 
