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Show 1887.] MOLLUSKS OF THE VITI ISLANDS. 173 (Hyalina) 1870, p. 115 ; Paetel, Cat. Conch, 1873, p. 86 ; Schmeltz, Cat. Mus. Godeff. v. p. 90, Helix vitiensis, Pfeiffer, Mon. Hel. v. p. 146. Common beneath dead leaves in forests near the sea-shore, and widely distributed through the group. A small, umbilicated, depressed, thin, pellucid, pale horn-coloured species, about the size and shape of Hyalina arborea, Say, a North- American species. 2. ZONITES PLICOSTRIATUS. Zonites plicostriatus, Mousson, Journ. de Conch. 1S70, p. 116. Helix plicostriata, Pfeiffer, Mon. Hel. vii. p. 197. Inhabits the south coast of Vitu Levu and Kantavu (Graffe). A little smaller than the preceding species, from which it differs in having the body-whorl angulated, and the sculpture consists of fine rib-like striae and spiral impressed lines. 3. ZONITES SCHMELTZIANA, sp. nov. Shell umbilicated, depressed, orbicular, pellucid, shining, obscurely striated, pale corneous, sparsely speckled with white; spire depressedly convex ; suture slightly impressed ; whorls 5, nearly flat, regularly increasing, last one not deflected in front, depressedly rounded, upper portion depressed and angulated; base convexly rounded ; umbilicus small; aperture oblique, orbicular-lunate ; peristome straight, sharp, with remote margins ; columella slightly reflected. Major diam. 9, height 4 millim. Hab. Malolo Island. Common beneath decaying vegetation, iu forests near the seashore. Nearly twice the size of Z. vitiensis; this species has the spire more depressed, the whorls flatter, and may at once be recognized by its angulated body-whorl. Genus TROCHOMORPHA, Albers. I. TROCHOMORPHA MERZIANOIDES. Helix (Trochomorpha) merzianoides, Garrett, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci. 1873, p. 237, pl. 3. fig. 72. A rare species inhabiting Vanua Levu, where I found a few examples adhering to the trunks of trees. Its large size (22 millim.), honey-yellow base, chestnut-brown upper surface, which is mottled with radiating lines and spots of a luteous-white colour, will at once distinguish it. The upper surface is coloured nearly the same as T. merziana, a Solomon-Island species ; but the present species may be separated by the absence of the basal band, darker colour, the narrower last whorl, and its narrower aperture. T. merziana also differs in having the upper margin of the peristome inflected. |
