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Show 266 MR. G. F. ANGAS ON N E W HELICES. [Feb. 15, outer lip very slightly expanded and reflected ; the collumella descending vertically and callously reflected over the perforation. Diam. maj. 10, min. 8, alt. i3 lines. Hab A Solomon archipelago. Var. a. Rich orange-yellow throughout, inner lip white, apex sometimes of a carnelian color. Var. b. Bright yellow, apex orange, with a narrow black band immediately below the suture of the last whorl, lip black. Var. c. Pellucid white, upper whorls yellow or orange. Var. d. Upper whorls white, last whorl light brown, with a narrow pale band below the suture, lip white stained inside with purple. Var. e. Very dark purplish chocolate-colour, reddish towards the apex. This shell, like Helix meta, Pfr., is subject to remarkable variations in colour, but may at once be distinguished by its smaller size, the convexity of the whorls, and the roundness of the aperture, in which the subflexuous outer lip and diagonal form of H. meta are wanting. The general form of the shell presents somewhat of a Paludina-like aspect. The outer lip is much less expanded and reflected than in H. meta, and the texture less glossy and shining. HELIX RAMSDENI, n. sp. (Plate XX. figs. 6, 7.) Shell imperforate, turbinate, rather solid, obliquely faintly striated, white, ornamented with a narrow brownish-black band on the lower part of the penultimate whorl, and two broader black bands, one above and the other below the periphery of the last whorl, the central band being irregularly marked with diaphanous white spots; base tinged more or less with suffused chestnut next the columella; spire conical, apex rather obtuse ; whorls 5^, convex, the first three somewhat pellucid, the last descending in front; aperture very oblique, truncately oval; peristome white, the right margin expanded, sinuous, and reflected ; the columellar margin obliquely descending, flattened and expanded, slightly grooved in the middle, and furnished with a long straight callus terminating abruptly within the aperture. Diam. maj. 12|, min. 10|, alt. 13 lines. Hab. ? Solomon archipelago. This beautiful shell is somewhat allied to H. boivini of Petit (H. subrepta of Quoy), but it exhibits certain differences so marked as to induce m e to characterize it as a distinct species. The whorls of //. ramsdeni are more rounded, the last whorl is smaller, and the shell generally somewhat more conical than in H. boivini; whilst the peculiar white spots on the central black band remind one of similar markings in H. ambrosia, Ang. The beautiful scarlet outer lip so constant in H. boivini is entirely absent in the present species ; and the shell is of an almost bluish white, while H. boivini has a warm yellowish tinge. I have named this shell in memory of the late Lady Harriet Ramsden, from whose collection the typical specimen originally came. |
