OCR Text |
Show 1878.] MR. E. A. SMITH ON A HELIX FROM JAPAN. 105 The syrinx (fig. 2, p. 104) is Columbine, with its lateral muscles attached inferiorly to the membrane between the penultimate and antepenultimate tracheal rings. The trachea is composed of rings which are very yielding in the middle line posteriorly. As can be seen in the figure, the musculi sterno-tracheales, which are independent of the intrinsic muscles, are not quite symmetrically attached. The furcula, as is the rule in the subfamily, is very slender, but complete, wherein this species differs from Phcenorhina goliath, in which it is cartilaginous at its symphysial end, according to M M . Verreaux and Des Murs1. Myologically, the ambiens is to be found, not large ; the femoro-caudal with its accessory head are well developed; the semitendinosus and its accessorius are the same. There are two carotids; so that in this as well as all the other features above mentioned Carpophaga latrans agrees with my definition of the division of the Columbidae into which it naturally falls, its gizzard differing, however, from that of all but one of the species which have been examined. 9. Description of a new Species of Helix from Japan. By EDGAR A. SMITH, F.Z.S. [Received December 4, 1877.] HELIX (CAMENA) CONGENER, n. sp. Testa convexiusculo-orbiculata, spira breviter conica, subaperte umbilicata, tenuis, sordide pallido-virescenti-albida, fasciis tribus nigrofuscis, media latissima, infima umbilicum pingente ; anfractus 5^, convexiusculi, lineis incrementi obliquis flexuosis, striisque spiralibus confertis insculpti, ultimus subtus satis con-vexus, prope aperturam leviter breviterque descendens; apertura perobliqua, semilunaris, intus fasciata; peristoma tenue, rosa-ceum vel liliaceum, marginibus connivenlibus, supero breviter expanso, basali et columellari latius reflexis. Diam. max. 30 mill., min. 25, alt. 1 8 ; aperturae long. 15, lat. 14. As this form approaches very closely to H. peliomphala of Pfeiffer, I will give a comparative description as the best means of showing its distinctness. It is uniformly smaller, more narrowly umbilicated and of a paler ground-colour; its spire is constantly more elevated, aperture smaller; the banding in the fourteen specimens examined invariably follows the same arrangement, and not one of them exhibits any trace of the opaque yellow stripes or blotches which are almost invariably observable in a greater or less degree (on the bands most conspicuously) in H. peliomphala. This is a very pretty, delicate species, and of a thin semitransparent texture. O n the front of body-whorl, about two thirds of its whole extent from the lip, there is an obliqne strongly marked line which is 1 Loc. cit. p. 140. |