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Show 1892.] ON NEW SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF DIPLOMMATINA. 509 5. On new Species and Varieties of the Land-Molluscan Genus Diplommatina from the Garo, Naga, and Munipur Hill-ranges, Assam. By Lieut-Col. H. H. GODWIN-AUSTEN, F.R.S., F.Z.S., &c. [Eeceived June 14, 1892.] The arrival of a large collection of Land-Shells sent m e by Mr. T. H. Aldrich, of Cincinnati, U.S.A., and made by Mr. W . Doherty in 1889 in different parts of the Naga Hills and Munipur, has led m e to take up and work out those belonging to the genus Diplommatina ; for I had also in m y own collection a number of undescribed species of the same genus which I had found when surveying that country in 1872. I had also specimens collected by the late Mr. Chennell in the Lhota Naga Hills and by Mr. Robert in Munipur and the Garo Hills, making up a fine series for examination. Mr. Doherty made Kohimah in the Naga Hills his headquarters, and was there during the summer months ; he also collected in the Eastern Naga Hills, south of Margarita, which is the terminus of the Railway from Debrughur to the coal-workings and about 50 miles distant. In this neighbourhood he was, being in quite unexplored ground, very successful as regards novelties, while at the same time he extended the range of other species. Mr. Doherty collected the minute specimens himself, while his men were looking after Lepidoptera and Coleoptera; some of the larger shells were brought to him by the Nagas, but he could not get them to search for the small forms. Although I was in the Naga Hills in the winter and spring only, the driest time of the year, I got a fine series of the Land-Shells ; the season does not make much difference on the high peaks, which are so often covered with cloud for a part of the day, and the sun does not penetrate into the damp northern ravines. I trained several men of m y party to collect, both Khasis and Ghoorkhas, and they became most expert in finding the minute forms in the decaying vegetation, and four annas for every new species or for a good number of specimens was quite sufficient as an inducement to work hard. I found them very keen of sight, and they very soon knew the different genera and those I most wanted. Mr. Doherty was far too liberal in giving the Nagas two rupees for shells. In the forests and noisome jungly ravines, at times swarming with leeches, this work is not over pleasant, and it is only the interest and excitement of finding some beautiful new form at any moment that leads one on this lowly chase, as it has m e for many an hour. To the native collector it is far less exciting, and he credits his master with making some wonderful curative out of the animals. In 1875 I published descriptions of three new species of this genus in the J. A . S. B.; and under D. tumida, var., I then referred to the great differences to be noticed in the shells from different parts of the Burrail range, and urged that a careful examination should be made of them all. I have now been able to better PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1892, No. XXXV. 35 |