THE NAUTILUS. A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF CONCHOLOGISTS. VOL. IX. MAY, 1895. to APRIL, 1896. PHILADELPHIA: Published by H. A. PILSBRY and C. W. JOHNSON. INDEX TO THE NAUTILUS, VOL. IX. INDEX TO TITLES AND SPECIES DESCRIBED. Acanthochites Matthews! at St. Vincent's Gulf, South Yorke Peninsula 72 Agnatha 110 Along the Damariscotta 140 Ancylus peninsuke Pilsbry and Johnson, n. sp 138 Ancylus eugraptus Pilsbry, n. sp 137 Annotated List of the Mollusca found in the vicinity of Clearwater, Wright Co., Minn 87, 125 Aulacopoda, a Primary Division of the Monotremate land Pulmonata 10:» Buliniuhis exilis in Jamaica 14 Bulimuli, sculpture of the apical whorls, a new character for distinguishing groups of 112 Bythinella palomasensis Pilsbry, n. sp (58 California slugs 1-0 Chiton Bednalli Pilsbry, n. sp 90 Collecting in Southern California 102 Curious Chinese use of shell fish 56 Day on the Spoon River in Illinois 19 Dispersal of shells '•->'> Dolabella californica Stearns 73 Dolichostyla Pilsbry n.n. for Prochilus Alb. preoccupied . 108 Dorcasia Gray, the earliest publication of 108 Editorial correspondence 77 Epiphragmophora californiensis var. contracoste Pilsbry . Epiphragmophora Remondi Tryou 72 Fulgur canaliculatum, a remarkable monstrosity of. (Il- lustrated) 25 IV THE NAUTILUS. Gastrodonta (Pseudohyalina) patuloides Pllsbry, n. sp. . . 15 Gastrodonta collisella Pilsbry, n.sp 123 Goniobasis virginica in the stomach of American Golden Eye 11 Gundlachia of Australia with notes on American form. (Il- lustrated) 61 Haliotis, West Coast species of 129 Helices in Illinois 28 Holopoda 110 Holospira, synopsis of the subdivisions, and some related genera 50 How to pack specimens for mailing 132 Index to the '• Conchologists Exchange" 43,57 Isaac Lea Department of the Agassiz Association . 6,19,34, 38,69,78,102,117,128 139 Joannisia, note on the genus 78 Lepidopleurus in New Zealand 108 Limnsea stagnalis dredged iu Lake Michigan 3 Limnsea desidiosa var. De Campi .Streng, n. var. (Illustra- ted) 123 Macoma, three new species from the Gulf of Mexico ... 32 Macoma limula Dall, n. sp 32 Macoma Mitchelli Dall, n. sp 33 Macoma leptonoidea Dall, n. sp 33 Marine shells on the coast of Maiue 34 Marine shells of Puget Sound 38 Meretrix Simpson! Dall, n. sp 10 Michigan Fish Commission, a month with the 2 Mollusks as purifiers of water 36 My first year collecting and studying shells 80 New Publications * 11,22,81,96,105,144 New forms of American Zonitidte and Helicidte 14 Notes and News 11,35,83,94,107,120,143 Notes on California shells 69 Notes of a conchologist in Japan 86 Notes on collecting shells in China 100 Notes on Washington Sphreria and Pisidin, with description of new species 97 Ocinebra cireimitextn var. uurantia Stearns, n. var. ... 16 Omphalina Andrewse 1'ilsliry, n. sp 14 THE NAUTILUS. Omphalina Andrewsse montivaga Pilsbry, n. var Opalliostyla Pilsbry, n. n. for Eudoxus Alb., preoccupied . 108 Patulastra? [Punctum?] pugetensis and Pyramidula? Ran- dolphii, generic position of, with suggestions for the classification of American Zouitida? . . 17 Pholas truucata from Revere, Mass. . Pisidia, description of new 74, 124 Pisidium Walker! Sterki, u. sp 75 Pisidium politum Sterki, n. sp. . Pisidium miliuin Held from Michigan . . Pisidium idahoense from Seattle, Washington . Pisidium ultramontanum ... Pisidium Randolphii Roper, n. sp. . Pisidium trapezoideum Sterki, n. sp. . . . Planorbes, notes on the smaller American . •'- Planorbis bicarinatus var. aroostookensis in Michigan . Planorbis Sampson! Ancey from Illinois . . . Planorbis centervillensis Planorbis callioglyptus Vanatta, n. sp. . . Planorbis opercularis var. oregouensis Vanatta, u. var. 54 Planorbis costatus De Tarr and Beecher .... 55 Planorbis umbilicatellus, the geographical distribution of . 117 Pleurodonte Bainbridgei and other Jamaica shells . Pleurocera subulare in water mains 37 Plover caught by a Pinna Polygyra (Stenotrema) stenotrema depilata Pilsbry, n. var. 16 Polygyracereolussanctijohannis Pilsbry, n. var. . Pyramidula allernata and Gastrodonta ligera reversed . Pyramidula strigosa reversed Raising baby snails Reversed American Helices, new records of . . Ryder, Dr. John A. (Obituary with portrait) . . Ruscheuberger, Dr. W. S. W. (Obituary) .... 31 Scala, some new species of .Scala (Sthenorhytis) Mazyckii Dall, n. sp. . . Scala ranellina Dall, n. sp Scala Mitchell! Dall, n.sp U2 Shells of Seattle, King Co., Washington 101 Shells of Thunderhead Mt., N. C 120 Small Land Mollusca from New Mexico . 116 VI THE NAUTILUS. Solariidse, description of two new Eocene 1 Solarium. elaboration Cour. var. bimixta Aldr. n. v:ir. (P). I, figs- 1,2, 3) . 1 Solarium plauiforme Aldr. n. sp. (PL I, figs. 4, 5, 6) . . Sora caught by a Mussel. (Illustrated) 49 Sphieria, on certain abnormal 135 Sphserium Primeanum, S. Raymondi, etc 98 Study of fossil shells 7 Teinostorna Hidalgoana Pilsbry, n. sp 52 Thelidoraus aspersa 14 To conchologists ''~ Trochoraorpha fuscata Pease, note on 120 Unio borealis Gray in Michigan 5 Unio bursa-pastoris Wright, n. sp. (PI. Ill, figs. 1, 2) . . 133 Unio ellipsis and U. tenuisimus from Grand Rapids, Mich. 11 Unio Friersoni Wright, n. sp. (PL ill, figs. 3,4). . . . 134 Uuios in city reservior (Phila.) Unionidse, some notes on the genital organs with reference to systematics Unios, the size of 1'5 Unios, new Florida Unio Hartwrightii Wright, n. sp. (PL II, figs. 4, 5, 6) . . 121 Unio Oscari Wright, (PL II, figs. 1, 2, 3) . Unionidae, new American Vallouia, North American species of 16- Visit to a vessel that was loaded with shells . .' . . Yitrea Johusoni Dall, n. sp Vitriua limpida in Western Pennsylvania . With a dredge [Southern California] 71 INDEX TO CONTRIBUTORS. A Id rich, T. H. . 1 Chipp, Geo. H. . . . 35, 94 Cockerell, T. D. A 120 Call, Wm. H .10,27,32,50,78,111 Drake, Mrs. Marie 38 Gardner, A. H 119 Hedley, C 61 Henderson, John B. . . . • . 85, 100 Johnson, C. W '. 77 Keep, Josiah 7, 129 Lowe, H 80 Pilsbry, H. A 14, 17, 52, 68, 73, 90, 109, 112, 123 Post, E. J. . . . 107 Randolph, P. B. . 101 Roper, Ed \v. W .13, 55,97 Ruggles, Mrs. T. E 21 Sargent, H. E . 87, 125 Shepard, Ida M 71 Simpson, Chas. T 37 Soper, Mrs. E. C 69 Stearns, R. E. C 16 Sterki, Dr. Y Ill, 74, 91, 116, 124 Streng.L. H. . . 123 Strode, Dr. W. S. . . 19,28,115 Vanatta, E. G .52, 117 \Valker, Bryant 2, 135 Wentvvorth, Mrs. E. P. . . . 34, 140 Wetherby, A. G 94 White, Mrs. G. W 102 Williamson, Mrs. M. Burton 6, 19, 69, 78, 102, 117, 128 Wri-ht, Berlin H. . 121, 133 THE NAUTILUS. VOL. ix. MAY, 1895. No. 1 DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW EOCENE SOLARIIDJE FROM ALABAMA. BY T. H. ALDRICH. Solarium elaboratum Conrad vir bimixta. Plate I, figs. 1, 2, 3. Shell elevated, peripheral margins minutely beaded, flattened, acute; umbilical rib very small and placed close to suture, umbili- cal carina prominent and beaded. Base very finely striated with a strong beaded rib close to the periphery. Spiral ornamentation ap- proaching Solarium cupola Heilpr. Max. diam. 15 mm., alt. 7 mm. Locality : Matthews' Landing beds near Rosebud, Wilcox Co., Ala. This variety, while belonging to the acutum-elaboratum section, has a combination of characters approaching other sections. The drawings executed by Dr. McConnell, of AVashington, show this form so beautifully it is scarcely necessary to describe it. Prof. W. H. Ball, in Trans. Wagner Free Inst. Science, Vol. 3, part 2, p. 323, Dec. 1892, has divided the Eocene Solariums into four sections, and, by letter to me, has lately added a fifth, viz. : Section DINAXIS Dall. " Spire flattened, with the circumference of shell forming the periphery ; the umbilicus wide, nearly funicu- lar, with thread-like spiral ribbing or none, the umbilical carina simple or finely granular, forming the base of the shell." This new section includes S. alabamense Dall, and the following new species. THE NAUTILUS. Solarium planiforme n. sp. pi. I, figs. 4. 5, 6. Shell flat, whorls six, apical one smooth, the balance with a beaded spiral boundary followed closely by a smaller spiral likewise beaded, two faint spirals near suture ; lines of growth fine, coarser nearer 'aperture, the side of the body-whorl forming an acute angle with the top and nearly a right angle with the base; the side is slightly convex, with a granular raised line immediately below the periphery and two fainter ones near the base ; the basal keel beaded ; umbilicus wide, marked with two or three beaded lines. Aperture wedge-shaped, narrower at junction with body-whorl. Max. diameter 19 mm., elevation (i mm. Locality : near Rosebud P. O., Wilcox Co., Ala., in Matthews Landing beds. A MONTH WITH THE MICHIGAN FISH COMMISSION. BY BRYANT WALKER, DETROIT, MICH. In 1893, the Michigan Fish Commission, in co-operation with the University of Michigan, inaugurated a systematic biological exami- nation of the Great Lakes, with special reference to the work of the Commission in replenishing the rapidly decreasing fisheries of the State The headquarters of the field-party for 1894 was established at Charlevoix, the well-known summer resort, on the east coast of Lake Michigan, and formerly a fishing station of considerable mag- nitude Through the kindness of Prof. Henry B. Ward, the Director-in-charge, the writer was invited to spend his vacation with the party as conchologist. In addition to the usual methods of collecting along the shore and from small boats, considerable dred-in- was done in the deeper waters of both Lake Michigan and Pine Lake A three days' trip to the Beaver Islands at the north- ern end of Lake Michigan, was one of the most interesting episodes of the summer, and one most fruitful in its results, as ,t was, un- doubtedly, the first time the islands had been visited for scientific purposes The unusual facilities enjoyed by the expedition in the line of deep water dredging, have afforded many noteworthy additions to the fauna of the State in all classes of the invertebrate and es- pecially in the mollusca; and, at the suggestion of the editors ol THE NAUTILUS, the following summary of the results obtained has THE NAUTILUS, IX. PL. 5 6 ALDRICH— New Eocene Sohriid:v. THE NAUTILUS. been prepared in advance of the formal report of the summer's work. Owing to the sandy nature of the soil, so characteristic of that portion of the State, and the long-continued drought which pre- vailed during last summer, terrestrial mollusks were not so numer- ous, either in species or individuals, as might naturally have been ex- pected. The characteristic feature was the occurrence of many spe- cies, especially of the Zonitidae, peculiar to the northern region. Thus Zonites ferreus Mse., blnneyanus Mse., and exirjuus Stiiup., Vitrina limpida Ged., and Helix harpa Say, are not found in the southern part of the State. Palula asteriscus Mse. and Strobilops virgo Pils., also northern forms, were interesting additions to our fauna. The local and rare (in this State) Helix sayii Binu.,an essentially north- ern form, also occurred, indicating its probable range across the north- ern part of the State, as all the examples heretofore known to the writer have been from the counties bordering on Lake Huron. A few specimens of the albino variety of Patula alter nata Say, were found associating with the typical form. Two forms of Helix albo- labris Say were noted, occurring bide by side, the one quite typical in shape and color, but rather below the average size and with a very thick and broadly-reflected lip ; the other larger and much in- flated, with a thin, dark purplish brown shell, having the narrowly reflected lip more or less deeply tinged with purple ; a very beauti- ful form, not seen elsewhere. The only Pupa found was P. con- li-iif/it Say, while Vertigo was represented by four forms, V. ovata Say, bollesiana Mse., ventricosa elatior Sterki, and pentodon Say. In addition to the universally-distributed Suceinea obliqua Say and, avava Say, was found the elongated form of S. ovalis Old., com- mon in the northern part of the State, which has been doubtfully referred to the S. higginsi Bid. (see NAUTILUS, VII, p. 127). In all, thirty-one species of land-snails were found, of which two were new to the fauna of the State. Among the fresh-water pulmonates, many interested forms oc- curred. The most noteworthy of them was a single example of a deep water form of Limncea xtagnalits L., dredged from ten metres depth in Lake Michigan, at High Island Harbor in the Beaver Islands. It is about 23 mm. in length, exceedingly fragile, of a pure translucent white, and, though somewhat larger and differently pro- portioned, appears to be analogous to the var. Uottnica of Clessin from Sweden. At the same locality occured a small globose form THE NAUTILUS. of the same genus which may be new. Also a small white Pliysa which is provisionally referred to P.gyrina Say. A small elongated Limncea of the reflexa group from the same locality, seems to be the L. laneeata Old. No less than seven different species of Lim- ntcidae, six of operculates, and many Pisidia were brought up by one haul of the trawl from this prolific locality. In a small lake near the south end of Beaver Island, which was simply swarming with animal life, were found the finest specimens of Limmm HIIIJI/H Migh. yet seen from Michigan. The largest example collected measured 28J mm. in length and 19 mm. in breadth, the aperture being 19 i mm. long and 13 mm. broad. The Limnceidae of Pine Lake, which empties into Lake Michigan at Charlevoix, were also extremely interesting. The bottom of the lake is composed almost wholly of marl, except where it has been covered by a thin coating of sand washed in from the shores, and, as a consequence, both plant and animal life exist under very un- favorable circumstances. The level of the lake seems to have been lowered by the canal made by the U. S. Government to connect it with Lake Michigan, and the former lake terrace is now largely ex- posed, and, in many places, quite dry. In the numerous pools, how- ever, which are left along the shore, the Limncea cataseojihnn Say is found in great abundance and almost infinite variety. It varies in shape from the comparatively slender form usually found in the Great Lakes to the globose form described as L. pinguis by Say, and seems, in many cases, to run very close to that of L. ample Migh. The Pine Lake examples have usually a very thick, solid opaque shell, and a large proportion are more or less distorted, the most common effect of their unfavorable environment being apparently to induce a very abrupt and rapid expansion of the outer lip, which, in most cases, is accompanied by a heavy callous deposit all round the aperture. The dredge also brought up from the marl of the bottom some other curiously distorted forms of Limmm, whose specific position has not yet been satisfactorily determined. The curious Planorbis mitltii'olvis Case also occurred here, rarely alive, but in great abundance among the dead shells along the shore. There is reason to suppose that these shells came largely from the marl deposits under the lake. It also seems probable that this species will prove to be only a form of P. campanttlatus Say, pecu- liar to localities where the marl is found. At any rate, all the lo- calities in this State, from which it is now known, are alike in this THK NAUTILUS. 5 respect, and specimens were found in places where the marl was less abundant, which seem to connect the two forms. Along the Lake Michigan shore, among the stones, Physa om-,7- laria Say occurred, exhibiting a very heavy, solid, opaque shell. The same form is found plentifully at Mackinac Island, and seems to be one of the most characteristic forms of the region. A heavy malleated form of Limncea emarginata Bay is associated with it in both localities. Limnrca desidiosa Say and Physa Integra Hald. were found plentifully in similar localities. In one of the smaller inland lakes near Charlevoix, the dark red form of Planorbis e.cacuttts Say, recently distinguished as var. ru- bellus by Sterki, was found. The typical form of the same species, as well as P. bicuriiiiitiis Say :\\nl parvtts Say, occurred abundantly in the deep-water dredging at High Island. The great similarity of the Limnreid fauna of northern Michigan to that of Maine was again manifested in the discovery, in a small mill-pond near Charle- voix, of the ecarinate form of P. bicarinatus recently distinguished by Mr. Pilsbry as var. aroostookensis. The only species of Ancylus met with was the A. parallel ns Hald., which was common among the lily-pads in all the smaller lakes. Among the operculates there was little of special interest. Goniobasis livescens Mke., as usual in the lake region, was abundant everywhere, and in Lake Michigan was found in thirty feet of water. Valvata tricarinata Say and sincera Say were also abundant in deep water, and the latter species from High Island was unusually large and fine, and might be referred to the form described as V. striatu, by Lewis. The Campolomae were also abundant. The slender northern form described by Lea as C. milesH, however, was found only in one lake on Beaver Island. The Lake Michigan form was C. decisa Say. The Amnicolae were ex- ceedingly abundant, the two larger forms A. Ihnosu Say and litstrica Pils. occurring everywhere. -4. grana Say was found at High Island only, as was also a single specimen of Bythinella oblnsa Lea. One of the few disappointments met with was the failure to find the deep water form, A. sJteldoni Pils., originally found in the deep water of Lake Michigan, at Racine, Wis. The only novelty among the Unionidae was the occurrence of Unio borealis Gray, in a small lake on Beaver Island. This is another addition to our fauna, and, I believe, the most western locality yet cited for the species, which, as Mr. C. T. Simpson, to whom I am indebted for the identification, suggests, is apparently only a form of Unio litteo/ns Lam. The 0 THE NAUTILUS. Anodontce occurred with their usual abundance and perplexing variety so characteristic of the inland lakes of Michigan. Possibly, owing to the unprotected character of the shore near Charlevoix, but few were found in Lake Michigan. A. footlana Lea, however, was found at Fisherman's Island near Charlevoix and also at St. James' Harbor, Beaver Island, where .4. subcylindmcea Lea and ferussaciana Lea also occurred. But it was among the Corbiculidae that the most interesting finds of the expedition were made. Both species and individuals were exceedingly abundant. Indeed, there can be no doubt that the smaller Pisidia form one of the most im- portant portions of the food of the whitefish. The Sphaeria were most abundant in the inland waters where S. simile Say and stria- tiniim Lam. were found in profusion nearly everywhere. S. rhom- boideum Say and the beautiful little S. rosaceum Pme. also occurred in one of the smaller lakes. A fine, new species, about the size of S. occldentale Pme. was dredged from 25 metres off Grand Traverse Bay. A larger form not yet satisfactorily determined was brought up from a lesser depth off the south end of Beaver Island. The Pisidia are now in the hands of Dr. V. Sterki, who has kindly con- sented to examine and determine them, so that the entire list can- not be yet given. But I am enabled to state that there are, at least, twelve species represented, of which seven are new to the State, in- cluding four species new to science. At High Island Pisidia were particularly abundant. A fine triangular form, as large as P. vir- yinicum Bgt., proves to be the P. idahoense Eoper. At the same place, Dr. Sterki's recently-described species, P. punctatttm, also occurred. A most interesting find was that of a form which Dr. Sterki informs me cannot be distinguished from the P. mi Hum Held., of Europe. This, I believe, is the first instance in which a species of this family has been proved to be an inhabitant of both conti- nents. The other species found were P. variabile Pme., nbditinn Hald., compressum Pme.,rotundatum Pme. and ventricostmi Pme. In all, ninety-three species of mollusca were obtained, of which eleven species and three varieties were new to the fauna of the State, one species new to this country, and five species new to science. ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT. [Conducted in the interest of the Isaac I,ea Couchological Chapter of the Agassiz Association by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.] The Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the Agassiz Association is THE NAUTILUS. / a corresponding chapter. It is composed of men and women inter- ested in the study of shells. It also has a juvenile section composed of boys and girls. It is a working chapter, or society, as every member is expected to send an annual report of work done by him. These reports and such papers as the members may furnish are known as the transactions of the society. Each year the volume of transac- tions, in manuscript, is forwarded from one member to another until each member has read the book, but as some time must neces- sarily elapse before all the members of the chapter can receive it, the editor of THE NAUTILUS has kindly consented to allow space for extracts from the transactions in THE NAUTILUS each month. Each member in this way can have a copy of the annual reports to himself. The Chapter is officered as follows : President, Prof. Josiah Keep, Mills College, Cal. General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton, Williamson University, Los Angeles County, Cal. SECRETARIES OF SECTIONS : Section A. — Marine shells of the West Coast, Prof. Keep, Mills College, Cal. Section B— Marine shells of the East Coast, Mr. A. H. Gardner, Box 84, Fort Hamilton, N. Y. Section C. — Land shells east of the Kocky Mountains (Sec. not yet chosen). Section I). — Fresh water shells east of Rocky Mountains, Dr. W. S. Strode, Lewiston, 111. Section E. — Land and fresh water shells west of Rocky Mount- ains (Secretary not yet chosen). Section F. — Fossil shells, Hon. Delos Arnold, Pasadena, Cal. Section G. — Juvenile Section, Mrs. Mary P. Olney, Spokane, Wash. Section H. — Microscopic shells (Secretary not yet chosen). A STUDY OF FOSSIL SHELLS. Report of Josiah Keep. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the Agassiz Association for 1894. Two years ago last summer, as I was returning to California from the Atlantic Coast, I had occasion to stop for a number of hours in the city of Cincinnati. By far the cheapest and most satisfactory THK NAUTILUS. way to explore a city is to get on a street car and ride until you are told to get off, and then try another line in like manner. Acting on this principle I hailed an electric car and was soon hurrying along the streets, up one hill and down another, and then over level stretches till I arrived at the " Burnett Woods" park. I did not need to be told to get off here, for the condition of things was evident, and this was, without doubt, the best place to spend the hot hours of mid-day. I was delighted with the place at once. What grand old trees were there, beeches and oaks and walnuts, majestic specimens with huge trunks and great spreading limbs. Strolling across the little hills and valleys which make up the park, I came at last to a huge excavation where a new street was being cut out and an old one widened. A gang of prisoners, under the eye of armed guards, were working there in the hot sun. Snmr were shoveling away the loose soil, others were breaking up hard strata with their picks and bars, while still others were down to bed- rock, and were drilling holes for blasting. The rock looked interesting, and I drew near to a cliff which had been partly carried away, and was delighted to find that the rock was full of fossils. In some places it was literally made up of shells and corals, and, so perfectly were they preserved, that you might trace every mark of sculpture on the shell, and observe its outline as perfectly as if it had just been brought up alive from the ocean. Most of the shells were those of brachiopods, a class of mollusks that now exist but sparingly, though in ancient times they must have been as thick as the leaves of a forest. How I longed for increased facilities for transportation on that July day. I wanted to take away at least a barrel of the fine >]H i-i- mens! They lay all around me. and it almost broke my heart to leave some fine pieces of stone studded over with those choice relics, lint when I lifted one of those pieces and found that it weighed many pounds, I was reluctantly compelled to carefully put it down and content myself with a few fragments that were not too large for my coat pockets. One of these fragments is before me as I write. What a story these old relics tell to one who is able to interpret their language. How many ages have passed away since each pair of these shells contained a living occupant, a creature without gills, indeed, but supplied with a pair of feathery arms which it stretched out and waved in the warm waters of the Silurian sea. When its little life was over, the shell sank down in the mud and was quickly filled and covered with the soft ooze. THE NAUTILUS. All this took place when the ocean rolled over what is now the State of Ohio ; before there was any coal, long before there were any Appalachian Mountains, and so long before the creation of Adam, that the time since the first man seems but a little while in comparison. Century after century went slowly by, the land gradually rose, and the ocean slunk away. Then came a time when uncouth monsters ranged over the soil ; then a period of ice and desolation ; then the age of man. But through all these uncounted millions of years, one little shell was quietly waiting — waiting a thousand thousand years, until the blast of the convict gang threw it up to the surface, and the sun shone down upon it, and a human U-inir rejoiced to find it there. Could itspeak, how it would inquire what had become of the ocean. Simple little shell, you have had a long sleep, but the world has been awake and astir all the time. Perhaps this paper seems little like a conchological report, but, during the past year, most of mv work with shells has been, not with modern species, but with fossils. I have been arranging a geologi- cal cabinet, and have been putting into their places molluscan species, from the little Lingula cnneata of the Lower Silurian rocks, down to those species which are now living along the coast. How important it is for any one who desires to understand the noble science of geology, to first learn as much as possible of its handmaid, coucbolotry. The shells of mollusks are the most endur- OJ ing of fossils. They are the seals impressed upon the stony docu- ments of the distant past, by which the scholar can tell you, often in a moment, the age in which those documents were written, and what of value you will be likely to find therein. It may not be scientific, but I love to imagine that the mollnsks which secreted these shells are alive once more. I question them concerning the past, concerning their contemporaries and their sur- roundings. I open the Devonian drawer of fossils and ask those revived mollusks to tell me concerning the "Age of Fishes." The little Pupa vettista of the Carboniferous Age tells me a story of its life in the " dim watery woodlands" of the Coal Period. Ammonite and Hippurite discourse concerning the"Age of Chalk;" the giant Ostrea details the quiet story of Tertiary times, and, finally, a little Olivella, such as now sports in the sands of the beach, tells me how it came to be buried in a little hill that has evidently been raised from the ocean in comparatively recent times. 10 THE NAUTILUS. And so the great story of life is narrated ; a story so wonderful, so interesting, so full of suggestion of a great and wise Creator, that I take up the burden of life once more, encouraged, instructed, broadened, helped ! THE ANNUAL REPORTS PRESENT A VARIETY. — As the mem- bers of the Isaac Lea Chapter are found from Maine to San Diego, Cal., and while some live on the sea coast, others dwell near lakes and rivers, while others again reside far from any body of water, the annual report of work done by each member is varied. Some members have had years of experience, while others, perhaps, give us their first years' experience in collecting and studying molluscan forms of life; but each report is interesting, and, from month to month, we hope to give one or two reports of the members of our Chapter. This month our members will be interested in Professor Keep's paper on fossil shells. After reading it, our juvenile mem- bers will be glad to learn that Professor Agassiz, in his " Geologi- cal Sketches," tells about the Silurian fossils of Cincinnati, Ohio, and what he says about the fossil beds adds new interest to the re- port of our President. University P. O., Los Angeles Co., Cal. AN UNDESCRIBED MERETRIX FROM FLORIDA. BY WM. H. DA 1. 1.. Meretrix simpsoni n.s. Shell small, plump, concentrically grooved, but somewhat irregu- lar in sculpture, smoother toward the beaks; varying in color ex- ternally from pure white to livid bluish overlaid with streaks or zig- zag brown lines, the interior from pure white to deep bluish purple ; the most common color variety much resembles Sowerby's figure of C. hebrtea Lam. (Thesaurus.pl. 134, figs. 143-4), but with the pos- terior end more rounded, the hinge teeth more compressed and smaller, and with a well-developed pallial sinus reaching to the ver- tical of the beaks; the lunule is smooth, long-ovate, marked off by an incised line, but not differentiated by color or otherwise from the adjacent parts of the shell ; the escutcheon is obscure. THE NAUTILUS. 11 Alt. 15'0; Ion. 18'0 ; long, of post-umbonal part ll'O; diam. 8'0 mru. Habitat from Curacao and St. Thomas, West Indies, to Cedar Keys, Florida, from low water to 26 fathoms ; Chas. T. Simpson and other collectors, in the U. S. Nat. Museum. This is probably the species which has been identified by Antil- lean collectors with Circe (Lioconcha) hebrcea (Lam.) Sowerby, but it is a smaller shell and a true Meretrix, represented by specimens from seven localities in the Museum collection and noted in Bull. 37, U. S. N. M., p. 56, No. 285 in 1889. NOTES AND NEWS. UNIO ELLIPSIS AND U. TENUissiMus. — I have never seen Unio ellipsis Lea and tenuissimus Lea noted from Grand Rapids, Mich. I wish to report the finding of 23 specimens of ellipsis and 24 of tenvis- simus in Grand River, about two miles south of the city ; they were taken by me last summer. — \V. MILLER, Grand Rapids, Mich. MR. WM. B. MARSHALL, formerly on the zoological staff of the N. Y. State Museum, at Albany, is now in Washington as an assist- ant in the Dept. of Mollusks. DR. WM. H. DALL leaves Washington on the 16th of May to spend the summer in Alaska in field work. MESSRS. USELMA C. SMITH AND ROBERTS LEBOUTILLIER, of Philadelphia, have returned from a naturalizing trip to Jamaica. GONIOBASIS VIRGINICA Gmel. occurred in considerable numbers in the stomach of a specimen of the American Golden Eye ( Claucion- etta clangula americanci) from a Philadelphia market, which I ex- amined March 28.— H. W. FOWLER, Phila. MR. EDW. W. ROPER, of Revere, Mass., has returned from Jamaica, where he has spent the winter. Good success in collecting shells and ferns is reported. NEW PUBLICATIONS. MISSION SCIENTIFIQUE AU MEXiQUE, etc., Etudes sur les Mollus- ques Terrestres et Fluviatiles, par MM. P. Fischer and H. Crosse (Vol. II, pt. 7). The present part contains the remainder of the Unionidce 12 THE JSAUTILUS. and the Cyrenidce (Corbiculidw). Like those which have preceded, the execution of the plates is superb, and the text is prepared with the attention to detail and accuracy characteristic of its authors. Many species of Unionidce described by Morelet are herein for the first time illustrated, as well as those of Crosse and. Fischer. This part completes the work, but one more will be issued containing additions to the fauna, being supplementary to the entire work. IN the Proc, Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, VIII, Mr. Charles Hedley describes a new species of Ccecum (C. ampntatvmi) from Sydney Harbor, Australia, and gives an interesting paper on Gundlachia. The latter we will reprint in a future number. LISTE SYNONYMIQUE ET BIBLIOGEAPHIQUE DBS MOLLUSQUES Terrestres el Fhiviatiles de la Nouvelle'Zelande. By Henry Suter, with preliminary note on the affinities of the New Zealand mollusk fauna by H. Crosse. The land mollusk fauna of New Zealand has received much careful study during the past few years, and this cat- alogue of 86 pages, embodying the results of the studies of HUTTON, SUTER, HEDLEY, PILSBRY and others, is a complete epitome of progress to this time. It is prefaced by a note from the experienced pen of CROSSE, contains copious references, and a plate illustrating some interesting forms. The work is well-done and of great utility. MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS STROPHE, by C. J. Mayuard (Cou- trib. to Science II, Nos. 3 and 4). Mr. Maynard prefaces his de- scriptions by some interesting observations, inter alia, that Slrophia is found in the Bahamas only on islands and keys where palms grow, and does not occur on any that are not, or have not been inhabited by man. The descriptions of many new species follow. The care- ful and exact record of localities for each species and subspecies, is a most commendable feature of the work. There can be no doubt that the forms are in many instances extremely local in distribution, . a fact which we owe to Maynard's researches. The localities given in former works on the genus are in a large number of cases wholly untrustworthy. Maynard proposes a new subgenus Multostrophia, type S. eximea n. sp., for shells with small Maynardia-like tooth and very fine striations. Among the figures we notice that that of o. 18 THE NAUTILUS. to the writer by Dr. Wni. H. Dall, have furnished preparations of the teeth enabling us to fix the the generic positions of these inter- esting little species. P. pugetensis proves to be a Zonitid, with the dentition much like that of Pseudohyalina mtiniscula and milium, perfect laterals 4, as in mitni&i-tilu, while milium has 2 or 3. The jaw, imperfect in my preparation, looks like that of minusciila. P. randolphii has the characteristic dentition of Puiietum, and with pi/ijma-um (v. minutissimuni) and conspeetum it makes three species of this genus for America. There are two in Europe, pyg- mceum Drap. and massoti Bgt., and one in Africa, cryophilum Mar- tens. Some other minute Patuloids will doubtless prove to belong to Punciwn when their dentition is examined. P. randolphii has a narrower umbilicus than our other species. So ambiguous are the shell characters of these genera of small Zoiiitiiiir and EndodontidcR that, as the event has proved, Dall was fully justified in the liberal use of question-marks in his provisional generic references. The moment their soft parts come under the microscope, broad distinctions between the groups appear, leaving no uncertainty as to the limits of the genera and families. The difficulty is to get the animals of these liliputian races alive or suit- ably preserved for dissection. The classification of the numerous groups and genera of Zo>iifi'/i rutn/n Say. Ill thirty minutes we picked up '-'nil of THE NAUTILUS. 21 the little Unios, and over a pint of the univalves. They were evi- dently making their way up stream, excited to do so by the strong millrace current. Many of them were busily working their shells out of sight in the coarse sand, and if we had been an hour or so later, perhaps none would have been visible. Having collected all we desired of these two species, we went be- low the deep hole, and, in water from one to two feet deep, collected all we cared to haul home of the following species : Unio alatus Say. A few. Unlo anodontoides Lea. Very plentiful and fine, ranging in size from full grown ones seven inches long to the very small young ones an inch in length ; and both varieties, the plain brown colored and the beautifully rayed ones. I iiiu occidens Lea. Some very good ones. Unio f/ibbosus Barnes. Only a few found, along with its cousin, the anodontoides, and U. rectus Lamarck, a half-dozen. U. graci/is Barnes. Quite plentiful. U. lackrymosus Leu. Some nicely marked ones. I', liijnmentinus Lam. More numerous than any other mussel in this locality. Specimens 5 to 7 inches long, were nicely raved and but little eroded on the beaks. Unio multiplicatus Lea. Four or five of the gigantic ones, 7 to &i inches long and a foot in circumference. U. piicatus Lesueur. Plentiful, and all sizes. U. tuberculatus Barnes. Plentiful, and all sizes, from 7 inches down. Margaritana ruyosa Barnes. A few adults found. M. eomplanata Bar. Very plentiful and very fine, all sizes, from the beautifully-rayed young specimens, to the full sized adults pecu- liar to this river. One lying before me as I write, is 8} inches long and thirteen inches in circumference. This water was too swift and the bed of the river too rocky for the Anodons, and only a few edentulaSny and grandis Say were found. Having loaded our boat with only the finest ones, and as many as we could get in our buggy, we pulled back up to the town, loaded up and departed for home, well satisfied with our day's outing. A VISIT TO A VESSEL THAT WAS LOADED WITH SHKLLS. — This winter I was much interested in a vessel which came into the port of Boston loaded with nothing but shells. I obtained a beautiful specimen of Spondjlus, pink with white spines, and I can find uoth- THE NAUTILUS. ing like it in the museums here nor near Boston. Also a specimen of Oliva, beautifully marked. I visited the vessel three or four times, and was kindly allowed to visit the hold of the vessel, which had to be entered on hands and knees. Tellinas, Conns, Myas and other shells by heaps and bushels was a sight to behold and never forget. I have taken great interest in the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter, and have obtained much assistance in my work through it, and by coming in communication with the other members of it. — Extract from the Transactions of the I. L. C. C.,for 1894, by Mrs. T. E. Rngyles, Milton, Mass. NEW PUBLICATIONS. A MONOGRAPH OF THE LAND AND FRESHWATER MOLLUSCA OF THE BRITISH ISLLS. By John W. Taylor, F. L. S. — We have in- dicated the scope of this long-expected work in a former issue (Dec, 1894, p. 96). The first part is now before us, and well sustains the expectations excited by the prospectus, the fact that Mr. Taylor has been devoting the study of years to the subject, and by the knowledge that a number of excellent observers were co-operating with the work, and most of the members of the Conchological Society of Great Britain have contributed data for its p:\ges. An Anisopleiiriiiis Pulraonate Gastropod, Ilili.i tisyn /••.,/ v. :,>;»//« Moq. The present fascicle of 64 pages treats of necessary elementary facts of the science of couchology ; the broader principles of classifi- cation ; primary divisions of Moflitsea; of nomenclature, synonyms, etc. The shell, its composition, structure ami forms are then con- sidered, and here are defined the terms u.-ed in technical descrip- tions of mollusks, " turreted," " fusiform," " depressed," "turbinated" and so on, each explained briefly and illustrated by a figure in the text. This is an extremely valuable feature, for it makes perfect!}' clear to the beginner in conchology the whole jargon of descriptive terms, and, bv a well-chosen illustration, fixes it in the mind. THE NAUTILUS. A reniform Bivalve, I'/iio margarUifer v. slnualu Lam. The parts of the shell and their names are similarly depicted. The questions of species and varieties are then discussed at length. The definition of "species" is good; but that of "variety" seems to us to beg the question entirely. Thus, in one paragraph, a variety is said to be an incipient species ; in another, " varie- ties may be individual, that is, occurring only in a more or less isolated and sporadic way, or they may be a sexual character," etc. American naturalists, at least, do not regard such deviations as this as "varieties," but use that term for what Mr. Taylor calls (Mont.) x -2, showing the " a sub-species, geographic variety or race." nearly straight coluruella. We believe that sexual and " random " Pyriform univalve, Clan- variations should have no place in specific silia lanmata (Mont.). nomenclature. It is also unfortunate that Mr. Taylor (in common with Mine. Paulucci and others) uses the term "mutation '' to express a slighter modification than "variety," as it has a very different significance in palaeontology, expressing the successive stages of a specific form, or genetically related series of specific forms, in successive formations. In treating of the causes of form-modification in shells, Mr. Tay- lor states that fluviatile species tend to develop a lengthened shell under the influence of a steady and rapid current, and short forms of otherwise elongated species in lakes and other large bodies of water. Section through the shell of Clausilia lauiinr/ii.-i corneus v. nHiinn ILii.r nemoralis (Drap.). Moq. L. Malacologists will look with interest for the succeeding parts; for that before us leads us to hope that Mr. Taylor will hivak with the time-honored but woefully antiquated system of generic and family classification of former English manuals of land and fresh-water mollusks, and adopt a nomenclature and classification abreast of the science. The work will doubtless prove of great utility to those interested in British malacology, especially on account of the ex- haustive treatment of variation and distribution contemplated ; and the features noted above will, moreover, render it useful to eonchol- ogists generally. THE NAUTILUS. VOL. ix. JULY, 1895. No. 3 A REMARKABLE MONSTROSITY OF FULGUR CANALICULATUM. Fiilgur canaliculatum is one of the most conspicuous Gastropods of our coasts from Long Island to the Chesapeake. It occurs less abundantly as far south as Florida (east coast) and northward to Cape Cod. FIG. 1. F. canaliculatum, deformed. In the Tertiary series, F. canaliculatum appears in the Pliocene of North and South Carolina ( Waeamaw and Croatan beds) ; and pass- 26 THE NAUTILUS. ing downward, we find in Fulyur coronatum var. rugosum Conrad, from the Miocene of St. Mary's, Md., its probable ancestor. F. canaliculatum exhibits but little variation in the recent fauna, except in point of size, southern specimens becoming much smaller. Thus, at St. Augustine, Florida, the largest shells found are not over half the dimensions of the largest from the New Jersey coast. The typical form of this species is shown in fig. 2. Mr. James A. Harking, of Atlantic City, has called our attention to a remarkable deformed specimen, which he found at that locality, illustrated in fig. 1. It is an adult of average size, in which the basal canal is twisted to the left at a right angle to the axis of the shell. The growth-lines are every- where unbroken, no evi- dence of an early fracture being visible, either outside or within the a p e r t u r e. There is an abnormal lump or callus upon the upper part of the columella, prob- ably deposited to fill some space left by the altered position of the soft parts in the cavity. It is difficult to say how a monster of this sort was produced. The unbroken sweep of the growth-strire FIG. •!. F/"'''*'•'•'"> which in some localities is quite abundant. P. hirsuta, profunda, mitehelliana and albolabris will rank in the order in which I have placed them. On the overflow land of the Illinois River a snail is rarely to be found. Further back near the foot-hills and on the margins of creeks tributary to this stream, they are quite common and fine. In these localities are to be found a few Polygyra elei'ntn Say, quite rare in the Spoon River region. THE NAUTILUS. DR. JOHN A. RYDER. 29 Dr. John Adam Ryder, Professor of Comparative Embryology at the University of Pennsylvania, and one of the most eminent em- bryologists and histologists in the world, died at his residence in Philadelphia, March 26, after a short illness, at the age of 43 years. The immediate cause of his demise was a complication of nervous troubles, which brought on gastric symptoms. Dr. Ryder was a very hard student, and his death was doubtless caused largely by over study. JOHN A. KYDER, PH. D. Dr. Ryder was born near London, Franklin County, Pennsyl- vania, in 1852. He received a common school education and en- tered an academy, where his educational course was interrupted by financial reverses to his father. He then adopted his life work •30 THE NAUTILUS. teaching, and entered as a Jessup scholar, under an endowment held by the Academy of Natural Sciences of this city. He speedily showed great interest in scientific study and pursuit, and immedi- ately began original research which has made him prominent in scientific circles. His mind was stored with a vast accumulation of facts which he so aptly used afterwards iu illustrating his lectures. Early in life he began the publication of those original investiga- tions that soon stamped him as one of America's foremost biologists. Later he was called, by the late Professor Spencer F. Baird, to the position of Embryologist to the United States Fish Commission. The succeeding years, up till 1886, were spent in investigating the development, habits and breeding grounds of the oyster, stur- geon and other fishes, and in elaborate investigations bearing on these. His published papers on the oyster number about fifteen, and contain suggestions whose economic value is only now beginning to be recognized. His works and papers on the sturgeons and on propagation of the salmon are the most exhaustive upon these par- ticular lines of study extant. These have been published in the bulletins of the United States Fish Commission, and have attracted the attention of American and European scientists. By means of Professor Ryder's method, the great fresh water lakes are now annually stocked with many thousand young sturgeon. Dr. Ryder, four years ago, made an extended investigation of oyster culture at Sea Isle City, and the results of these studies are expected to revolutionize oyster culture. He proved that oysters could be cultivated by artificial methods by starting with the egg, and, under conditions which can be con- trolled, and within a prescribed area and cost, that oysters could be raised by persons possessing the proper knowledge. He also wrote extensively upon the development of cetaceans and other mammals, and the thoughts and ideas advanced by him and the Hue of inves- tigation opened up have been seized with avidity by scientists. In 1886, he was invited to take the Professorship of Comparative Embryology at the University of Pennsylvania, and thereafter, although actively engaged in undergraduate and graduate teaching, he still was busy with his pen. The Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, of the American Philosophical Society, the Ameri- can Niiturnlixt, as well as the most prominent of European journals, were enriched by his contributions. Dr. Ryder was a strenuous opponent of the Weissmanian school of biological thought, believing, THE NAUTILUS. 31 as he did, that all phenomena of living organisms could be explained by the laws of mechanics. He was one of the foremost of mechanical evolutionists. His chief writings and papers embrace " The Inheritance of Mod- ifications Due to Disturbances of the Early Stages of Development, Especially to the Japanese Domesticated Races of Golden Carp ; " " Dynamics in Evolution ; " " The Mechanical Genesis of the Form of the Fowl's Egg ; " "A Physiological Hypothesis of Heredity and Variation ; " " The Origin of Sex Through Cumulative Integration, and the Relation of Sexuality to the Genesis of Species ; " " On the Mechanical Genesis of the Scales of Fishes ; " " The Sturgeons and O Sturgeon Industries of the Eastern Coast of the United States, etc.;" " The Development of the Common Sturgeon ; " " Evolution of the Specialized Vertebral Axes of the Higher Types; " "A Physiologi- cal Theory of the Calcification of the Skeleton," and " The Origin and Meaning of Sex." Dr. McFarlane, speaking of Dr. Ryder, said : " He was, undoubt- edly, one of the three greatest embryologists. His true worth was not known by the public, but the scientists with whom he was asso- ciated readily appreciated his great genius. His relations with his friends, colleagues and students were marked by a simplicity, earn- estness and straightforwardness of purpose that endeared him to all. He enjoyed a profound reputation in Europe, and the news of his death will call forth the deepest sympathy from friends of science everywhere." DR. W. S. W. RUSCHENBERGER. Dr. William S. W. Ruschenberger, the eminent naval surgeon and scientist, died March 29, at his home, 1932 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, in his 88th year. Dr. Ruschenberger was one of the most widely known members of his profession in this country. He was born in Cumberland County, New Jersey, September 4, 1807. After receiving an academic education in Philadelphia and New York schools, he en- tered the medical service of the United States Navy as a surgeon's mate, August 10, 1826. He was commissioned a surgeon in the navy April 4, 1831, and from 1835 to 1837 was Fleet Surgeon to the East India Squadron, with which he circumnavigated the globe. In 1840-42, Dr. Rusch- 32 THE NAUTILUS. enberger was attached to the naval rendezvous in Philadelphia. From 1843, he was Superintendent of the United States Naval Hos- pital at Brooklyn, and, during his term of service there, organized the Naval Laboratory, for supplying the service with pure drugs. He was again Fleet Surgeon of the East India Squadron from 1847 to 1850 ; Fleet Surgeon of the Pacific Squadron from 1854 to 1857, and of the Mediterranean Squadron from August, I860, to July, 1861, having served in the intervals between cruises at Philadelphia. In 1871, he was commissioned Medical Director on the retired list, with the relative rank of Commodore. Dr. Rtischenberger has been best known in Philadelphia, per- haps, for his scientific labors, and particularly for his efforts in be- half of the Academy of Natural Sciences, which bestowed on him the highest honors within its gift. He was elected Vice-President of the Academy in January, 1869, and President in December of the same year, serving in the latter office until 1881, when he was succeeded by Dr. Joseph Leidy. At the time of his death he was oue of the curators, and Director of the Concbological Section. Dr. Ruschenberger won considerable reputation by the results of his scientific observations during his various cruises, which he pub- lished at different times. Some of his works were : " Three Years in the Pacific," "A Voyage Round the World," "Elements of Natural History," " Lexicon of Terms Used in Natural History," " Notes and Commentaries During a Voyage to Brazil and China." Besides these, he wrote "A Notice of the Origin, Progress and Pres- ent Condition (1852) of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- delphia," and various other pamphlets. Dr. Ruschenberger's works on Natural History were among the first American treatises on this subject, and were largely instrumen- tal in creating an interest in zoology in this country. One of the most eminent entomologists in America, in speaking of Dr. Rusch- enberger, said that he had first learned the orders of insects from Ruschenberger's Natural History. THREE NEW SPECIES OF MACOMA FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. JiY WILLIAM H. DALL. Macoma limula, n. s. Shell small, long and narrow, moderately inflated, anterior end rounded, longer ; the posterior end subrostrate, bent to the right ; THE NAUTILUS. 33 the pallial sinus deep, reaching more than half way from the verti- cal of the beaks to the anterior adductor ; one bifid cardinal tooth in the left and two in the right valve, without laterals ; ligament short, strong ; exterior with nearly smooth beaks and no radiating lines, but most of the valve covered with low elevated concentric ir- regularly broken lines, which are irregularly swollen or granulose minutely in a longitudinal sense ; color of the shell pale lemon-yel- low or white, without distinct epidermis. Alt. 6'0, Ion. 13'0, poste- rior end 6'0, diam. 3'5 mm. Gulf of Mexico west of Florida in 26 fathoms ; offCape Lookout, N. Carolina, in 22 fathoms ; Barbados in 100 fathoms. This curious shell is distinguishable from any other American species by its peculiar surface. It grows twice as large as the meas- urements given above. Macoma Mitchell!, n. s. Shell small, thin, polished, pinkish-white, moderately inflated ; teeth as in .17. limula but more feeble ; valves closely resembling Tellina versicolor Cozzens, but without the lateral teeth, less solid, the pallial sinus more distant from the anterior adductor, the pos- terior dorsal slope less arched and not quite so long, the muscular impressions less impressed and the anterior end somewhat broader ; in M. mitehelli the surface is mostly smooth, but near the ventral margin, especially in front, there are impressed, somewhat distant and inconstant, concentric lines in harmony with the lines of growth or nearly so. Alt. 8'25, long. 15'0, post, end 6'0, diam. 4'0 mm. Habitat, Matagorda Bay, Texas, (I. D. Mitchell). Macoma leptonoidea, n. s. Shell very thin, high, short, polished, smooth or with fine silky concentric striula; under a thin iridescent epidermis ; hinge very feeble, teeth as in M. linui/n ; pallial sinus irregular, reaching about two-thirds the whole length, backward from the front edge of the valves ; outline of valves leptonoid, the anterior slope longer and more rounded, the posterior shorter and more direct but not ros- trate, though there are two obscure ridges radiant backward from the beaks but not modifying the posterior margin ; the shell is some- what compressed but not flattened. Alt. 13'0, Ion. 1(>, Ion. of post. end IvO diam. li'O mm. Matagorda Bay, Texas, (Lloyd.). This little shell looks curiously like a Lepton. Its outline, though larger, differs little from that of Lepton longipes Stm. The types of 34 THE NAUTILUS. the above mentioned species are in the National Museum, being re- spectively Nos. 95,619, 124,686 and 125,532. ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT. [Conducted in the interest of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the Agassiz Association by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.] MARINE SHELLS ON THE COAST OF MAINE. Report of Mrs. E. P. Wentworth. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Concho- logical Chapter of the Agassiz Association for 1893. During the past two years I have been much interested in con- chology and have devoted my spare hours to collecting and study- ing mollusks. I have collected marine shells from the Damariscotta River, Long Creek, near Portland, Peak's Island in Casco Bay, and Old Orchard and Higgin's Beaches, all these localities being in Maine. At Peak's Island the following shells were found in great, abund- ance : Mytilus ediilis, Modiola modiolus, Macoina baltica, Mya are- naria, Saxicava arctica, Biiccinum nndatum, Nassa obsolela, Nassa trivittata, Purpura lapillus, Littorina rudis, L. litorea, L. palliata, Lacuna vincta, Natica hens, Acnuea testudinalis. Occasionally there would be found hidden in the crevices of the rocks or thrown upon the beaches, Crepidula fornicata and Anomia ueitleata. The Damariscotta River, some forty or fifty miles east of Port- land, is somewhat sheltered ; and it contains mollusks which might once have been plentiful all along the coast of Maine, but which are now not often found so far north. Among these shells are the Odostomia bisiituralis Say (if I have made no mistake in the identi- fication), of which the extreme northern limit is Massachusetts Bay, according to Bulletin No. 37, U. S. National Museum. Uro- salpinx cinerea is very common in Damariscotta River, and the fol- lowing shells are also found there: Rissoa mimda, Mya arenaria, Modiola plica! ii /n, < 'repidula convexa, Alexia myosotis, Purpura la- pillus, Littorina palliata, etc. There are many old shells of Ostrea virginica and Venn* mercmm-in buried along the banks of the river and some of the people who live near by say that within their re- membrance there were many oysters and qtiahogs in the river and THE NAUTILUS. 35 that they have been killed out by the sawdust from the mills above. On this river are the celebrated Damariscotta shell heaps composed almost wholly of oyster shells, and varying in depth from a few feet to more than sixty feet. Some of the oyster shells from these heaps are more than a foot in length. At Old Orchard arid Higgin's Beaches the shells are very differ- ent from those found on Peak's Island or in the Damariscotta River. Here are found, on the sand, between high and low water mark, Cyprina islandica, Tellina tenera, Ensis Americanus, Siliqua costata, Mactra solidissima, Nassa triviltata(very fine specimens), Ly- onsia hyalina, Scala greenlandica, Bela harpularia, Periploma ( Coeh- lodesma) leanum, Modiolamodiolus, Mya arenaria, etc. Clinging to the seaweeds thrown up by the surf, I found Tmchydermon ruber, Anomia glabra, Anomia aculeate. Also found at Higgin's Beach, a very fine Petrieola pholadiformis. GENERAL NOTES. THE collection of Dr. P. P. Carpenter, the well-known authority on West Coast shells, has been purchased by the Field Columbian Museum of Chicago. DISPERSAL OF SHELLS. — In his book on the " Dispersal of Shells," Mr. Kew mentions floating pumice-stone as a possible means of dispersal as pointed out by Mr. Bates and Sir C. Lyell. As a slight contribution to dispersal, or possible dispersal, by this means, I may say that on November 18th last I picked up a piece of poroua blast-furnace slag, about pages. September number contains 12 pages, and with this num- ber there was another increase in size to 5| x 7-1. October and November numbers each contain 16 pages. December number, 12 pages. January (1888) number, 12 pages, plus a cover (pp. i-iv) of the same kind of paper. February number contains 8 pages and a cover (pp. i-iv). March and April were printed together, but as one number (No. 9) ; this contains 12 pages and a cover (pp. i-iv)i and this was the last number published. Vol. II, complete, con- tains 120 pages, exclusive of cover pages. No index to either vol- ume was issued. The " Exchange " contains many new generic or subgeneric names, with other important changes in nomenclature, and some new species. The Index herewith given has been ar- ranged to aid conchologists who have not access to a complete copy of the original publication. It has been cut into short pages in order that those who have the Conchologist's Exchange may bind this Index with it.— H. A. P. & C. W. J. 44 THE NAUTILUS. ii INDEX TO CONCHOLOGISTS' EXCHANGE. INDEX TO GENERA AND SPECIES IN THE CONCHOLOGISTS' EXCHANGE, VOLS. I AND II. Arnnicola porata, A. linjosa, A. cincinnatiensis, A. parva, II, 91 Anatiua papyracea Say, II, 78 Anceyia Pilsbry, u. subg. (Pristina Ancey being preoc- cupied in Vermes), I, 26, 54 Ancylus fuscus Adams ; Aucylus paralellus Hald., . II, 2 - Angasella Aucey, u. subg., type Helix cyrtopleura Pfr. ; Australia, ... ... II, 38 Angitrema armigera Say, A. verrucosa Raf., . II, 93 Angrandiella Ancey, n. subg., type Helix angrandi Morelet; Andes of Peru, 1,20 Anodonta gibbosa Say and A. couperiana Lea, . . I, 27 Anodonta edentula Say, ..... II, 20 Anodonta ferussaciana Lea, . . . . . II, 37 Anodonta imbecilis Say ; Anodonta grandis Say, 11,21 Anodonta plaua, A. corpulenta, A. suborbiculata, . II, 36 Arion subfuscus and Helix hispida var. fusca in York- shire, ..... . . I, 7 Atlautica Ancey, n. subg., type Helix semiplicata Pfr. ; Madeira," . . 1, 54 Averellia Ancey, n. subg.,=Coelospira Ancey non Hall, I, 54 Batbyaxis, Ancey, n. subg., type Cwliaxis Layardi Ad. &Angas; Cape Colony, . ... 11,39 Bernuidia, Ancey, n. subg., type Helix Burmudensis Pfr. ; Bermuda I, 53 " Bertia, Aucey, n. subg., type Nanina cambodjiensis Reeve ; Indo-China, ..... I, 53 Brazieri., Ancey, n. subg., type Helix velata Hombrou et Jacq ; Caroline Isls., . . . . . II, 22 Bulimini found in Central Asia, ..... II, 5 Burtonia Bourg., .... . II, 22 Bythinia tentaculata Linne, . . . . 11,80,114 Bythinella obtusa Lea, .... II, 81 Calostropha, Ancey, n. subg., type Helix Rafi'rayi Tapp.- Canefri ; New Guinea, . . . . . II, 3•"> Mesopleura centralis Say, . . II, 46 Mesorhytis, . II, " Microphysa Ingersolli Bland, var. convexior Ancey (n. var.), ... . II, 64 Mitra Ferguson! Sby., and Mitra Rivolii Dall, . . II, !' Modiola tulipa found at Cape May, N. J., . . . I, '2- Mollendorfia Ancey, n. snbg., types Helix trisinuata Mart.; H. HensaniensisGredler ; H. Eastlakeana Mnlhlf. ; China, . I, 64 THE NAUTILUS. 47 INDEX TO CONCHOLOGISTS EXCHANGE. V JMya arenaria Linne, II, 47 Mytilopsis leucopheata (Jonr., attached to Unios, . I, 27 Natica Fordiana Simpson, n. sp. ; Florida, . . . II, 51 Nesera pellucida Stimp., . . II, 61 Nesobia Ancey, n. subg., type Bulimus Heleiioe Q. et G. ; St. Helena, . . II, 39 Oligospira Ancey, u. subg., types II. Waltoni Rve. ; H. Skinneri Rve. ; Ceylon, . . . . . II, 22 Ophiosphila Ancey, n. subg., types Helix Kuhui Pfr. ; H. andicola Pfr. ; H. catenifera, etc., . . I, 64 Pandora trilineata Say, II, 62 Parmacella valenciennii Webb & Van Ben., var punc- tulata Cockerell ; var. maculata Cockerell ; and var. olivacea Cockerell (new varieties),. . . II, 68 Patula strigosa Gld., var. Bruneri Ancey, . . . II, 64 Periploma Leana Conrad, II, 77 Petricola pholadiformis Lam., II, 101 Pholas truncata Say, . . I, 65, II, 19 Pholas costata Linn., ....... II, 19 Physa solida Phil., syn. of P. heterostropha Say, . . I, 20 Physa ("Paludinn,") scalaris Jay a Plauorbis (Heli- soma), ... . . II, 113 Physa gyrina Say ; P. heterostropha Say, . . . 11,111 Pilsbrya Ancey, n. subg., in place of Poecilostola An- cey, preoccupied, ...... I, 54 Pisidium compressuni Prime ; P. variabile Prime, . . II, 49 Pisidium wquilaterale Prime, ..... II, 50 Planorbis dilatatus Gld., in England I, 63 Plauorbis lens Lea, ........ I, 63, 76 Planorbis havanensis Pfr. ; P. tumidus, . . I, 20, II, 51 Planorbis esacutus Say, I, 76 Planorbis deflectus Say ; P. dilatatus Gld., ... I, 77 Planorbis hirsutus Gld., ...... I, 78 Planorbis parvus Say ; P. Jenksii H. F. Carpenter (n.sp.), . " . II, 2 Planorbis umbilicatellus Cockerell new name for P. um- bilicatus Taylor, non Mu'ller, .... II, 68 Planorbis trivolvis Say, 11,111 Planorbis (Helisoma) scalaris Jay (^Physa scalaris Jay), II, 113 Pleurocera subulare Lea, . . . . , .11,81,94 48 THE NAUTILUS. vi INDEX TO CONCHOLOGISTS' EXCHANGE. Pleurocera alveare ; P. undulaturu ; P. moniliferum ; P. canaliculatuiu ; P. troostii ; P. lewisii ; P. ele- vatum ; P. neglecturn ...... 11,94 Pleuroxia Ancey, new name for Angasella, which is preoccupied in marine shells ; type Helix cyrto- pleura Pfr. ; Australia, . ... II, 38 Pcecilostola Ancey, n. subg., type Helix Farrisi Pfr., Andes of Peru, . . ' . . . . I, 20, 26, 54 Polygyrella polygrella Bid. & Cooper, var. moutanensis Aucey (n. var.), ...... II, 80 Pomatiopsis lapidaria Say ....... II, 91 Pristina Ancey, n. subg., types Hyalina Stearnsi Bid. ; H. Lansing! Bid. ; North America, ... I, 20, 2<> Pristiloraa Ancey, n. subg., in place of Pristina Ancey, and Anceyia Pilsbry, uon Anceya Bourguignat, . I, 54 Pseudiberus Ancey, 11. subg., types Helix tectuui-sinense Mart. ; H. zenonis Gredler ; H. plectotropis Mart. ; and H. mataiensis Nevill ; China, . I, 76 Pupa corpulenta Morse, var. parietalis Ancey, var. nov. ; Utah, . . 11,80 Rhysotina Ancey, u. subg., type Helix Welwitschi Mor., and H. hepatizon Gld. ; Island of Sao-Tome, . I, 53 Rhyssotopsis Ancey, n. subg., type Helix Haughtoni Benson ; Andaman Isls., ..... I, 64 Saxicava rugosa Linn., ...... II, 42 Segmentina Wheatleyi Lea, ..... I, 20 Segmentina armigera Say, ... . , II, 2 Sheldonia Ancey, n. subg., types Helix Trotteriana Bens.; II. phytostylus Bens. ; H. natalensis Pfr. and perhaps cotyledonis Benson ; S. Africa, . I, 53 Silii|iia costata Say, and Solecurtus gil)bus Spleng., . II, 35 Somatogyrus subglobosus Say and S. depressus Tryon, . II, 90 Sphrerium sulcatum Lam. ; S. solidulum Pr. ; S. striati- iiuiu Lam. ; S. Jayanum Pr., . . . . II, 48 Spluerium truncatum Liusley ; S. occidentals Pr. ; S. transversum Say, ...... II, 49 Sphincterochila Ancey, u. subg., types H. filia, Mouss. ; H. Boissieri Charp. ; near the Dead Sea and N. Arabia, . II, 23 ( To In' 'i'>i' .•'«,//•,/ /;; S,'ft,'int>,'i- number. ) THE NAUTILUS. VOL. ix. SEPTEMBER, 1895. No. 5 A SORA CAUGHT BY A MUSSEL.1 When hunting in the marshes in this vicinity, September 3, 1894, Mr. Joseph D. Clark noticed a Sora (Porzana Carolina) hopping along and trying hard to fly. His dog finally captured the bird. It had a " fresh-water clam " attached to one toe, being firmly caught by the bivalve. The poor bird, in its efforts to release itself, had broken the bone of the toe and nearly severed it from the foot. Mr. Clark kindly presented me with his rare find, and a photograph, from which the accompanying cut was made, was taken at once. The mussel was 2.92 inches long and 1.61 wide. — JNO. H. SAGE, Portland, Conn., in The Auk, July, 1895. 'We are indebted to the editor of Tlie Auk for the illustration of this article. This mussel is evidently I'nio complanalus Sol. 50 THE NAUTILUS. SYNOPSIS OF THE SUBDIVISIONS OF HOLOSP1RA AND SOME RELATED GENERA. BY W. H. DALL. Genus HOLOSPIRA Martens ; type H. pilocerei Pfr. Subgenus Holospim s. s. Axis large, with an internal fold in the penultimate whorl and with a parietal, basal and peripheral lamina projecting into the lumen of that whorl. Besides the type, this includes H. goldfussi Menke and H. goniostoma Pfr. Section Bostrichocentrum Strebel & Pfeffer, 1880. Axis moderate, with a continuous plait, except in the last part of the last whorl ; no lamina?. Type H. tryoni Pfr. H. Veracruz i« mix Dall belongs here. Section Haplostemma Dall, 1895. Axis moderate, with, in the penultimate whorl only, a short, stout axial lamina extending about half a gyration, but no other laminre. Type H. mearnsii Ball, New Mexico. Section Eudistemma Dall, 1895. Penultimate whorl with a parietal and a short axial lamina only, axis moderate. Type H. arizonensis Stearns. Section Distomospira Dall, 1895. Penultimate whorl with a basal and a short, strong axial lamina only, axis moderate. Type H. bilamellatn Dall, New Mexico. Subgenus Metattoma Strebel & Pfeffer, 1880. Axis smooth, without plaits, penultimate whorl without internal lamina?. Type H. nemeri Pfr. This includes also H. pasonis Dall, If. coahuilensis Binn., H. semisculpta Stearns, H. pfeifferi Meuke, H, remondii Gabb., H. crossei Dall, H. pilsbryi Dall. Subgeuus Ccelostemma Dall, 1895. Axis vertically ribbed as in Ccclocentntm, shell otherwise as in JUetastoma. Type H. elizabetlue Pilsbry. The internal characters of the following species are unknown : H. gealei A. Ads., H. imbricata Martens, H. cretacea Pfr., H. micro- stoma Pfr. and H. terete Menke. THE NAUTILUS. 51 Genus CCELOCENTRUM Crosse & Fiscber, 1872. Shell decollate, axis pervious. Subgenus Ccelocentnnn s. s. Axis vertically ribbed internally. Type C. turris Pfr. This in- cludes nearly all the known species. Subgenus Spartocentrum Dall, 1895. Axis as in Boslrichocentrum, not ribbed. Type C. irregulare Gabb., Lower California. Genus EUCALODIUM Crosse & Fischer. Shell resembling Ccelocentrnm, but large, with a solid axis. Section Eucalodium s. s. Type E. ghiesbrecJtti Pfr. Axis sinuous and folded its whole length, except close to the aper- ture; transverse series of teeth ou the radula long (65'1'65 iu the type). Section Oligostylus Pilsbry, 1895. Axis straight and smooth ; radula narrower (36-1-36 in the type). Type E. blandianum Crosse and Fischer. Columna ramentosa J. G. Cooper, which might, from the shell, be assimilated either to Berendtia, Rhodea, or some of the above-men- tioned groups, proves, from the anatomy, to be merely a section of Bulimnlus closely related to Leptobyrsus. The genuine Rhodea very probably bears an analogous relation to Otostomus. It is vivipar- ous, but the Lower California!! species is not. If the latter be deemed worthy of a sectional name, Pseudorhodea might be used for it. The new species of Holospira mentioned above are described in & report on the mollusks of the late Mexican Boundary Survey (1892-4), by the writer, which will appear, properly illustrated, in the report of the Commissioners of the Survey. My special thanks are due Mr. H. A. Pilsbry for kind assistance rendered during the preparation of the report. The anatomy of a curious cylindrical Austrian land snail, Pupa vbtusa Drap., has recently been investigated by Mr. A. Protz and Professor von Martens. It proves to be no Pupa, but a member of the Helicidce, closely allied to the chalky Helices of Europe known as Helicella or Xerophila. 52 THE NAUTILUS. A NEW TEINOSTOMA. BY HENRY A. PILSBRY. Teinostoma Hidalgoana n. sp. Shell orbicular, depressed, solid, bright, bluish-white. Spire very- low, wide-conic, the apex acute. Whorls 2], hardly convex, the last large, rounded at periphery, depressed beneath ; on its latter third the periphery descends toward the base, and immediately behind the lip is decidedly pinched into a short rounded keel. Sur- face closely engraved throughout with spiral Hues of close, fine stippling or puuctation. Aperture oblique, rounded, except for the straight parietal wall; peristome continuous, the outer lip thick, blunt, strengthened outside by a heavy rib or collar a short distance behind the edge; parietal wall bearing a low nodule or tooth near its upper termination. Parieto-umbilical callus heavy, deeply and coarsely pitted all over, forming a rounded lobe over the umbilical tract and a band in front of the parietal edge of peristome proper. Alt. 2, diam. 3'2 mm. Singapore (Dr. S. Archer !). This exq uisite species is respectfully dedicated to Dr. J. G. Hidalgo, of Madrid, author of numerous valu- able contributions to malacological science. One specimen of the type lot is much smaller than the others (diam. 2 mm.), but in all other respects exactly resembles them, and has the lip of a fully mature shell. NOTES ON THE SMALLER AMERICAN PLANORBES. BY E. G. VANATTA. Including the species put in the sub-genera Menetus and Gyraulus by Binney in " Land and Fresh-water Shells of the United States." The smaller species of Planorbis are, as a general rule, found on leaves and sticks in small ponds and springs. The Western Slope species are centervillensis, operctilaris, opercu- laris var. oregonensis and culfioglyptiis. P. alabamensis Pils. has so far been found only in Woodville, Alabama, and Grove, Cooper River, S. C. P. sampsoni has been found hitherto only in Pettis and Henry Co., Mo., and Athens, 111. THE NAUTILUS. 53 P. umbilicatellus occurs in Manitoba and Montana. The other species mentioned below are more or less widely dis- tributed over the United States, except hirsutus, which is restricted to the northern tier of States. I think any normal specimen can be identified by the following key: I. PERIPHERY ACUTELY KEELED. a. Shell bi-convex. b. umbilicus broad, shallow, deflectus Say. 66. umbilicus small, deep. c. lip simple, aperture extremely oblique, exacutus Say. cc. lip thickened within, aperture less oblique, alabamensis I'ils. aa. Upper surface flat, lower convex. 6. lip thickened within, spiral sculpture distinct, oreyonensis n. v. 66. lip thin, spiral culture absent, or very indistinct. c. umbilicus broad, shallow, exacutus Say. cc. umbilicus small, deep. d. shell very small, radially ribbed below, cristatus Drap. dd. shell rather large, smoothish, opercularis Gld. II. PERIPHERAL KEEL BLUNT OR ABSENT. a. Radially ribbed below, rn'*t which shell has not, to my knowledge, been previously reported from north of Cape Cod. — EDWARD W. ROPER. MR. A. A. HINKLEY, who has been for some time in Roekford, 111., has returned to DuBois, 111. THE Chicago Academy of Sciences has recently purchased of Mr. John Walton, of Rochester, his collection of Oyprcridcs. It has also purchased one of the collections of California and Mazatlan shells, prepared by Dr. P. P. Carpenter, and numbering some 3000 species. 56 THE NAUTILUS. CURIOUS CHINESE USE OF SHELL-FISH. — The Chinese have been students of the habits of animals for many thousand of years, and the influences of this study have manifested themselves in their art and their architecture, so much so, that one can readily recognize the common form of their animal life through its resemblances to the objects and pictures with which we are familiar. One of the most interesting is what is known as the "joss-shell." Every one has noticed the pearly luster of the bivalves of our rivers and ponds, fresh-water mussels, they are called. These mussels are lined throughout with the same kind of material as the pearl-oyster, and, indeed, pearls of value are often to be found in them. In China and Japan, these mussels grow to great size, in the latter country being oftentimes seven to ten inches in length, and in China, fully as large as a small saucer. The shrewd Chinese are aware that the pearly nacre is a protection of the animal, which has thus the smoothest of substances against its sensitive skin, and they know also that any grain of dirt or roughness will be quickly coated with pearl if it should lie under the mantle. They therefore catch the animal, and oblige it to make such designs as they desire. These are usually little josses, images of some one of the Chinese Gods, which are formed in clay and slipped between the mantle and the shell of the mollusk. The latter, as soon as it is put into the water again, begins to cover the model with a coat of pearl, and at some time, when the process has been carried far enough, the animal is killed and the shells preserved with their pearly josses and sold as curiosi- ties. They are, however, very rare in this country, being on exhi- bition only in a few of the larger museums. It is said that upwards of one thousand of the Chinese made their living by this industry, and that they will, on order, insert in the shells models of the initals of any one's name, which, after a wait of a year and a half, will be ready for delivery. — The Happy Thought, July 15, 1895. PROF. GILBERT D. HARKIS, of Cornell University, has returned from a geological trip through Mississippi and Alabama, and is now spending two weeks at the Academy of Natural Sciences, studying the " Laa Collection " of Eocene fossils. POLYGYRA CEREOLUS SANCTIJOHANNIS n. var. Shell having the characters given in Man. Conch. IX, p. 73 for P. cereolus septemvolva^ but periphery pinched out into an excessively acute keel. It is extremely abundant along the middle St. Johns River, Fla., from the Lake George region to L. Monroe at Sanford. I have seen nothing like it from other parts of the State. The shell is very thin, having very little lime in its composition, never enough to give a whitish color. — Pikbry. THE NAUTILUS. 57 INDEX TO CONCHOLOGIST S EXCHANGE. Vll Succinea lineata W. G. B. in Nebraska, ... I, 65 Succinea obliqua Say, and Succinea totteniana Lea., . II, 23 Tellina tenera Say ; T. modestus Verr. ; T. tenta Say, . II, 90 Teredo, Notes on, . ... 1,19,11,84 Tetrodontina Ancey, n. subg., types Helix yantaiensis, tetrodon and' Houaiensis ; N. China, . . . I, 6-4 Thompsonia cariuifera Ancey a synonym of Plauorbis scalaris Jay, ....... II, 113 Thracia Couradi Couthony, ...... II, 62 Thracia triincata Migh. & Adams, ... II, 63 Tottenia gemma Totten II, 109 Trau matophora Ancey, n. subg., type Helix triscalpta Mart. ; China," I, 5& Trihelix Ancey, n. subg., type Helix horrida Pfr. ; Mts. of Laos, I, 64 Triodopsis Harfordiana W. G. B., . II, 79, 113 Triton Swifti Tryon, from the Bermudas, . . . I, 65 Unio parvus and U. gracilis from Texas, ... I, 21 Uuio anodontoides ; U. sesopus ; U. alatus ; U. arctior ; U. asperrhmis ; U. capax; .... 1,42 Unio coccineus ; U. cornutus ; U. crassidens ; U. dona- ciformis ; U. Dorfeueilliauus ; U. ebenus; V. el- lipsis ; U. elegans, I, 43 Unio graniferus ; U. gibbosus ; U. gracilis ; U. Hig- ginsii ; U. Isevissimus ; U. ligamentinus, . . I, 50 Unio luteolus ; U. lacrymosus ; U. monodontus ; U. ruetanever ; U. occultus, I, 51 Uuio multiplicatus ; U. mississippiensis ; U. occidens ; U. pustulosus ; U. pustulatua ; U. plicatus ; U. parvus I, 62 Unio pressus ; U. rectus, I, 63 Unio rubiginosus ; U. solidus ; U. spatulatus ; U. sub- ovatus, . I, 74 Unio securis ; U. schoolcraftii, .... I, 75 Unio tuberculatus ; U. trigonus ; U. tenuissimus ; U. undulatus, ....... II, 4 Unio ventricosus ; U. zigzag, . . . . . II, 5- Unio anthonyi ; U. aheneus ; U. amygdalum ; U. an- gustatus ; U. arctatus, 11,67,105- 58 THE NAUTILUS. viii INDEX TO CONCHOLOGIST'S EXCHANGE. Unio Buckley! ; U. Buddiantis ; U. Blaudingianus ; U. coruscus, . II, 95, 105 Unio cacao Lea ; Unio Cunningham! B. H. Wright (n. sp.) ; U. floridensis Lea ; U. Jayanus Lea, . II, 105 Uuio grauulatus Lea in Fla., ..... II, 111 Unio Jewettii ; U. Kleiniauus ; U. lepidus ; U. minor ; U. inodioliformis II, 112 Uuio Liebii in Lake Erie I, 26 Unio papyracea Gould in Lake Ashby, Fla., . . I, 81 Unio monroensis Lea ; U. fuscatus Lea ; U. paludico- lus Gld. I, 27 Valvata tricarinata Say and V. hicariuata Lea, . . II, SO Valvata mergella AVesterlund, only a striate varietj' of V. sincera Say, II, 113 Venus mercenaria Linn II, 102 Yivipara intertexta ; V. subpurpurea ; V. contectoides, II, 65 Yoluta Gonldiana, found in 1 ~>0 to 200 fathoms off Fowey Rock Light, Fla., . . II, 9, 10 Zirphrea crispata Linn., II, 34 INDEX TO CONTRIBUTORS AND TITLES. Titles in brackets are the general subjects of notes placed under " Correspondence." Ancey, C. F. Diagnoses of a few subgenera in Helici- dse, . 1,20 Descriptions of new genera or subgenera of Hel- icidre, I, 53, 64, 75, II, 22, 38 [Notes on new subgenera, and some American Helices] . . . . I, 54 A Catalogue of the Bulimini found in Central Asia, II, 5 On the generic name of a remarkable bivalve shell found in the Congo II, 22 Description of North American shells, . . II, 53, 79 Baker, F. C. [A collecting trip to Onset Bay, Mass.], II, 119 IVaiiclianip, Rev. Wm. M. Erosion of fresh water shells, . 1,49 Notes on American Shells, .... 11,114 THE NAUTILUS. 59 INDEX TO CONCHOLOGIST S EXCHANGE. JX Browu, Dr. J. .1. Notes on the niollusca of the Baha- mas . I, 12 Carpenter, Horace F. The shell-bearing niollusca of Rhode Island, I, 76, II, 2, 18, 34, 46, 61, 1 7, 89, 101, 109 Cockerel!, T. D. A. The Gibraltar and Tangier forms of Parmacella II, 67 [Note on Planorbis umbilicatus Taylor], . . II, 68 Cooper, Rev. Ebenezer V. Andrew Garrett (obituary), Dall, Wm. H. [Notes on some rare West Indian Shells], II, 9 Ford, John. A day among the mollusks, . . . I, 21 Helices in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, . II, 7 The Succinea obliqua Say of Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, with some remarks regarding the relationship of Succinea Totteniana Lea, . . 11,23 The fresh water mollusks of Fairmount Park, . 11,39 Some remarks on the migration of mollusks, . II, 71 Hinkley, A. A. Record of a collecting trip in White, Hard in. and Gallatin Counties, 111., . . . 1, 56 Notes on the Strepomatidfe of 111., . . . 11,93 Jones, J. Matthews. The Conchologist in Bermuda, . II, 118 Keep, Josiah. Cabinet Notes, II, 107 Loofbet, Adam. A suggestion to our young friends, . I, 80 Marsh, Wm. A. Brief Notes on the land and fresh wa- ter shells of Mercer Co., 111., I, 42, 50, II, 4, 20, 36, 48, 65, 80, 90, 103, 110 Michael Jr., Geo. W. [Shells on the coast of San Luis Obispo Co., Cal.] II, 68 On collecting and preserving Chitons, . . II, 8 Obituaries and notices of deceased conchologists and scientists. Prof. Daniel Sylvester Sheldon, . I, 4 Dr. Isaac Lea, . I, 25, 28 Dr. Ezra Michener, II, 11 Prof. Spencer Fullerton Baird, .... II, 26 Dr. J. C. McCormick, II, 54 Prof. Ferdinand Vanderveer Hayden, . . II, 81 60 THE NAUTILUS. INDEX TO CONCHOLOGIST'S EXCHANGE. Andrew Garrett, 11,81,92 Geo. W. Tryon, Jr., ... . .11,96,115 Wrn. L. Mactier, II, 103 Pilsbry, H. A. Notes on some New Orleans fresh water " shells, I, 20 [Notes on Ancey's new subgenera of Helices], . I, 2t> Lyogyrus Gill, and other American shells . II, 113 Rogers, Thos. Planorbis dilatatus Gould in England, I, 63 Eoper, Edw. W. [Pholas truncata Say at Scarboro, Me.], I. 6.-, Rush, Dr. Win. H. [Notes on deep sea dredging], . II, 24 Shimek, B. Margaritana Hildrethiana Lea, . . 11,114 Simpson, Chas. T. Record of a two-days' dredging cruise in Tampa Bay, Fla., ... I, 44, 52 [Notes on Melongena fusiformis], ... I, 83 Succinea lineata in Nebraska, ... I, 65 On the distribution of land and fresh water shells in the tropics, II, 37, 50 Blacklist them, II, 10 A new Floridian Natica (N. Fordiana), . II, 51 Shell collecting, II, 52 The dredge . II, 83 Gundlachia ancyliformis Pfr. in Florida, . . II, 96 Singley, J. A. New localities for Unio parvus and U. gracilis, .... ... 1,21 Sterki, Dr. V. Collecting shells in drift, ... I, 45 [Pupse found in the \Mcinity of New Philadel- phia, Ohio], . I, 54 How to collect small land shells, ... I, 67 The Faunatic dependence of the Mediterranean upon the Atlantic, I, 6 The strength of snails (Helix aspersa), . . I, 34 Trombley, Jerome. [Note on Unio Liebii], . I, 26 Vitality of moll usca (Nassa obsoleta) 1,35 Wright, Dr. S. Hart. [New localities for Unionidie], I, 27, 51 Wright, Dr. S. Hart, and Berlin, H. Notes upon the Unionid;e of Southern Florida, . . II, 67, 95, 104, 111 THE NAUTILUS. v°i- ix- OCTOBER, 1895. No. 6 ON THE AUSTRALASIAN GUNDL. \CHIA.' BY C. HEDLEY, F.L.8., With note on American forms BY H. A. PILSBKY. The eccentric shell of Gundlachia, one part shaped like a knife- sheath, or rather a spectacle-case, plastered askew upon another part like the shell of an ordinary fresh-water limpet, the creature's external likeness and internal unlikeness to Ancylus, and the re- markable, discontinuous, geographical distribution of the genus, combine to tempt a naturalist's curiosity. For a chance to satisfy such curiosity I am indebted to several friends who have liberally assisted me with all the material and information at their command, and without whose kindly aid I should have had to relinquish, mi- profited, the study of the subject. Prof. Tate has kindly loaned me the actual types of G. petterdi, and given me examples of that species collected by himself at Mt. Lofty near Adelaide, S. Aus- tralia. Mr. W. F. Petterd has liberally communicated a large series of Gundlachia, including the actual type of his species G. beddomei. Mr. C. E. Beddome has supplied me with a collection of Gundlachia from various localities. Mr. H. Suter has convinced - ' From Vol. VIII (Series 2nd) of the " Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales " (November 29th, 1893). We have omitted Mr. Hed- ley's descriptions of the Australian species of Gundlachia and his plate illus- trating them. — ED. 62 THE NAUTILUS. me of the method by which the primary shell is transformed into the adult by presenting me with a series showing the passage from stage to stage collected by him in New Zealand. To Mr. R. H. Pulleiue, of the Adelaide University, who guided me to the spot and procured me several specimens, I am particularly obliged for the pleasure of viewing Gundlachia alive at Henley Beach near Adelaide. The genus Gundlachia was instituted by PfeitFer in the Zeits. Malak., vii, 1849, p. 98, for the reception of immature specimens of G. ancyliformis Pfr., sent to him by his correspondent, Dr. J. Gundlach, from Cardenas in Cuba. Troschel supplemented his friend's description by an account of an animal which had dried in the shell. From the dentition he classed the puzzle, not, as Pfeiffer was inclined to do, with Navicella and Neritina, but with its real kin the Limnteidre. Though not recognizing it as such, he dis- tinguished the jaw as a browu, semitransparent arch, convex in front and extending from eye to eye. Further remittances from Gundlach enabled Pfeiffer to describe and figure (op. cit. 1852, p. 180, pi. I, ff. 1-16) the adult and immature shells and to add some information from the collector of its habits and appearance when alive. From this species Bourguignat carved (Spicil. Malae., 1862, pp. 82-87) a new genus, Poeyin, type P. gundlachioides, and two other species, G. adelosia and G. poeyi ' ; all of which, so Crosse tells us (Journ. de Couch., xxx, 18110, p. 262), are but stages in the de- velopment of G. ancyliformis. In Trinidad the genus occurred to (nippy in the form described by him (Proc. Sci. Assoc. Trinidad, Dec., 1872) as G. crepidulina, and figured Am. Journ. Conch., vi, 1870, pi. xvii, ft'. 10 and 11. From Mexico the genus is doubtfully indicated by ( ribbons (Journ. of Conch., iii, p. 267). An undetermined species was recorded (Am. Journ. Sci. (3), xxiii, p. 248) by Cook from the State of New York' On the banks of the Potomac River Stimpson discovered G. meekiana, which he figured and described (Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 1863, p. 249). This account, the best of the genus that has appeared, was transferred by W. G. Binney to the pages of " The Land and Freshwater Shells of North America," Pt. ii. In California the genus is represented by G. californica Rowel], whose description is also reprinted, with additional figures, by Bin- ney, from the Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1863, iii, p. 21. THE NAUTILUSi W As a fossil, Gundlachia occurs in S. Carolina in a quarternary marl containing mastodon bones (Cook, I.e.). [In addition to the records of Gundlachia in North America, compiled by Mr. Hedley, we may instance the finding of numerous specimens in ponds near Greenport, Long Island, N. Y., by Mr. Sanderson Smith, recorded in the Annals of the Lyceum of Nat. Hist, of N. Y., ix, 1870, fig. 6. The specimens differ sufficiently from G. meekiana to be considered by Smith a distinct species, which he names G. stimpsoniana. A Gundlachia, closely allied to, if not identical with, G. meekiana, Fig. 1- Fig. 2. Gundlachia from Rock Island. occurs abundantly in a lily-covered pond near Rock Island, Illinois. Specimens are drawn in the illustrations here given (figs. 1, 2), fig. 1 representing a shell with small accessory cap, the other figure showing one with it large. All intermediate sizes occur. With these, are found numerous specimens of like asymmetrical contour, but lacking the accessory shell ! These are, as far as the shells are concerned, merely Ancyltia. They live with the true Gundlachias on the lower surfaces of the lily-pads, grazing on their watery pas- ture like little sheep dotting a hillside. Professor B. Shimek has found something very similar to these near Lincoln, Nebraska (see NAUTILUS, August, 1890, p. 48). Still another record of Gundlachia is given by Dr. Victor Sterki, who found it at New Philadelphia, Ohio (see NAUTILUS, Jan., 1895, p. 107).— Pilsbry']. Boettger has ventured to name an immature fossil from the May- ence Basin — G. francofuriana (Fischer's Manuel, p. 505). A defective monograph of the genus, by Clessin, appeared in 1882 in the Conchylieu Cabinet, Bd. i, Abth., 6, pp. 1-5. The existence of this genus in Australasia was first announced by R. M. Johnston, who, in March, J877, laid before the Royal Society of Tasmania an account of G. petterdi, from the vicinity of Launces- 64 THE JSAUTILUS. ton in North Tasmania. In the first of two plates attached to " Critical Observations on Recent Contributions to our Knowledge of the Fresh-Water Shells of Tasmania," Pt. i, Proc. Roy. Soc. Tas- mania, 1888, p. 84, but which Mr. Johnston, perhaps critically omit- ted to number or explain, are drawings 2a, 2b, 2c, presumably of this species. Appended to this paper is a table in which, under " Gen- eral Remarks," a Gundlachia beddomei is mentioned as described "since 1881" by Petterd, which form is asserted to be " undistin- guishable from Gundlachia petterdi." I believe that I am correct in stating that no species has ever been described under this title. The Quarterly Journal of Conehnlogy contains, in Vol. iv, p. 150, a notice of a new and nameless mollusc by W. F. Petterd, dated Nov., 1883, and evidently relating to the form written of by Johnston. Prof. Tate recorded (Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasmania, 1884, p. 216) G. petterdi from the hill streams of the Mount Lofty Ranges near Adelaide. Finally, in a paper I have had the honor of communicating to you this evening, Suter declares the existence of an undetermined and probably new species from New Zealand. The broken range of Gundlachia has attracted the attention of several conchologists: Petterd (Jouru. of Conch., i, p. 399), Fischer (Manuel, p. 251), Tate (Rep. Austr. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 1887, p. 325), Spencer (oj>. fit. 12, p. 96), and Suter (N. Z. Journ. Sci. iii, p. 252) have each commented thereon. The fiuviatile molluscs, of Southern Australia have, strange to say, a stronger likeness to those of New Zealand than to those of the northern part of this continent,. Amphi- peplea, Potamopyrgu-s and Gundlachia are confined to Tasmania and to the south-east fringe of Australia ; they all reappear in New Zealand, but the Viripara and Melanin characteristic of tropical and subtropical Australia have failed to accompany them there. The extension of Potamopyrgus, Gundlachia, and, according to Tate, perhaps Amnicohi, with another Australian genus, Mycetopus, to America is even more remarkable. To explain .similar instances, Mr. H. O. Forbes (to whose courtesy I am indebted for a copy of this very interesting paper) has lately revived the theory of an Antarctic continent, and supports it by several weighty arguments, notably the presence in the Patagonian Eocene of marsupial remains nearest allied to those now existing in Australia. A. Strip of land, with a mild climate, extending across the I'oh' from Tasmania to Tierra del Fuego, would have afforded a THE NAUTILUS. 65 possible route2 for the migration from America to Australia of these Tertiary marsupials. But such a land could not have been con- nected with New Zealand, or the marsupials would have wandered there also. A great southward extension of Tertiary New Zealand, considered probable by Sir J. Hector,3 would, however, have availed to people the latter with much of the fauna and flora of the suppo- sitions Antarctic land, in the way that European plants are believed to have reached the Azores. This theory of the origin of Australian marsupials would also account for the discontinuous distribution of Gundlachia. The Australasian members of the genus known are G.petterdi Johnston, G. beddomei Petterd, MS., and G. sp. undetermined, and probably new, from Xew Zealand. At present G.petterdi appears to be known, as adult, from only three localities : a small, shallow, stagnant pool near the First Basin, South Esk River, Launceston, Tasmania (Johnston and Petterd); a hill stream at Mt. Lofty, S. A. (Tate), and a chain of shallow, stagnant ponds behind the sandhills at Henley Beach, near Ade- laide, S. A. (Adcock, Pulleine and Hedley). In this latter locality they were associated with Planorbis, Sulinus and Ancylua, the latter only determined by the shell. Their habit was to cling to drowned leaves and sticks, or to the submerged leaves and stems of water plants. So closely do they resemble Ancylus that a careful observer may, in the field, easily mistake one for another. The precise mode of the growth of the shell does not seem to have been related by any writer. Johnston says (Proc. Roy. Soc. Tas- 2 Had the alternative route advocated ("Island Life," 2nd ed. p 497) by Wallace, "over what is now the Java Sea," been used by the marsupials, then Timor and the South-Eastern Austro-Malayan Islands should, as Forbes log- ically remarks, have preserved some remnants of the migrants amid surround- ings so like Australia (Vol. iii, p. 22, Supplementary Papers, Royal Geo- graphical Society, 1893). Spencer-has demonstrated (Rep. Aust. Assoc. Adv- Sci., 1892, p. 118) "that the diprotodonts had their origin in the Euronotian region," which also seems to me, though not to him, to indicate the south rather than the north-west as the point of marsupial ingress into Australia. In liis latest paper Prof. Zittel says (Geol. Mag., Nov , 1893, Vol. x, p. 512} : " For its [i.e., Australia's] connection at one time with South America, the abundant occurrence of fossil marsupials in the Santa-Cruz beds of Patagonia is valid evidence." See also Lydekker, " Nature," May 5, 1892, Vol xlvi, pp. 11-12. 3 Address to the Geological Section of the Aust. Assoc. Adv. Sci , Adelaide, 1893. 66 THE NAUTILUS. mania, 1878, p. 24) : " In the young state the shell is simple and re- sembles the common Ancylus in the same neighborhood." From the fact that Ancylus it'oodsii (op. cit. p. 23) is omitted by its author from his last catalogue (op. cit. 1890, p. 145) I infer that he now considers that name to be a synonym, and further that he considers it a synonym of G. pelterdi. If so, it is a matter for re- gret that Mr. Johnston has withdrawn his species in a manner to confuse a student of his writings. The published figures of the juvenile shell only represent the stage at which the septum is completed and the secondary growth is about to occur. Thanks to a series of specimens collected by Mr. Suter in New Zealand, which probably represent the fry of an undescribed species, I am enabled to detail the process. My friend supposes that in unfavorable circumstances a septum is never formed, a view which his American experience had already sug- gested to Gibbons. If this be the case, and Gundlachia sometimes continues to regularly enlarge the ancyliform shell, then only an anatomical examination could distinguish between the genera; and, although several supposed species have been named, and more or less adequately described as Australian, yet this hypothesis would require proof of the existence of Ancylus in Australia. The first deviation shown by young Gundlachia from Anc>/fn.t consists of a fold appearing at the posterior end of the aperture. No increase occurs round the rim of the aucyliform shell until the fold is built into a septum flooring half or two-thirds of the original shell. This septum is flat and grows asymmetrically, the right margin advancing before the left. At this stage the shell has much resemblance to a spectacle-case, aud has been well figured by Pfeifler. Vigorous growth now occurs; in front, but in an altered plane, the margin of the ancyliform shell is continued out- wards, behind, the shell is spread beneath the septum floor to form the roof of the secondary shell, then leaving the septum it is ab- ruptly bent downwards. A slight inclination to' spiral growth is shown by the increase on the right exceeding that on the left Stimpson suggests " that the Gundlachia commences its life as an Ancylu*. ... it passes the first summer and autumn of its existence in this smaller shell, and that the septum, which afterwards partially closes its aperture, is formed during the period of inaction which ensues during the winter. This septum would, in some de- gree, serve as a protection to the mollusc during this period, in the THE NAUTILUS. 67 same way as the epiphragm of tlie Helices. In the following spring — the period of greatest activity in growth with all the fresh-water Pulruonates — the animal throws forth its newer and larger shell, retaining the older one on its back for the protection of its more tender viscera." I regret that I can give but a meagre account of the soft parts. My only material was some specimens procured at Adelaide, which died on the voyage to Sydney, and were hastily and badly preserved on board the steamer. * * * Part of the liver and the herma- phrodite gland are pinched off into a sort of tail, which occupies the primary shell. With this exception, as Gundlach and other ob- servers have remarked, there is no difference from Anci/lnn. The form and disposal of the stomach and intestines seemed, as well as I could ascertain, to agree with those of Aneyhts figured by Moquin- Taiidon. Jaw extremely minute and frail, about i the length of the radula, very narrow, composed of a great number of separate imbricating plates, which appear to be arranged two deep, in contact but un- attached; each is oblong in shape and serrate at one end, resem- bling somewhat the scales on some butterflies' wings. The difficulty of observing this tender and incoherent organ will account for the uncertainty that prevails regarding it. Troschel saw it, described it, and then unfortunately concluded that it was a piece of hardened skin. Stimpson failed to find it. Johnston noticed it in G. petterdi. In Lutia Huttou asserts (Trans. X. Z. Inst., XIV, p. 156) that no jaw exists; it has more probably been overlooked. Radula a narrow parallelogram, very small, measuring about 3 1 hundredths of an inch. Formula, 70 rows of 8 : 12 : 1 : 12 : 8. Each half row straight, meeting at a low angle in the centre. Raehidian with a long, slender basal plate, rounded and slightly expanded posteriorly; reflection about a fifth of total length, bi- cuspid. Laterals with broad basal plates, emarginate at the prox- imal posterior corner, sloping away from the rachidian, reflection somewhat pyriform, the wide end proximal, set aslant on the basal plate and armed with a large proximal and two minor distal cups. Marginals more upright, with reflectiou of same pattern, but extend- ing almost the length of the basal plate. CONCLUSION. — The genus Gvndlaehia contains four American — G. ancyliformis, meekiana, califoniica, crepldulina — and two Aus- 68 THE NAUTILUS. tralian species' — G. petterdi and beddomei. It is nearly allied to Aneylus, from which it differs anatomically by a distinct pattern of radula, and couchologically by its compound shell. The existence, variously affirmed and denied, of a jaw, is now demonstrated by fig- ures. It has been suggested, but not proved, that in unfavorable circumstances the shell never attains its compound development, but remains simple. From an Aneylus of the same size the subcentral nucleus and regular elliptical outline distinguish young Gund- lachia. A fuller knowledge of the development and structure of the genus is very desirable. The nearest, in phylogenetic array, to Gundlachia are probably the New Zealand Latia and the Tasmanian Ancylastrum. Should Hutton's Latiidce win acceptance, which seems doubtful, it might include these. The distribution of Gundlachia agrees in part with that of the recent marsupials, and the theory of a Mesozoic or older Tertiary migration to or from Australia across the south pole, when a lost land with a mild climate united Tierra del Fuego to Tasmania, would explain its present position. A NEW MEXICAN BYTHINELLA. BY HENRY A. PILSBRY. Bythinella palomasensis. Shell small, ovate, rapidly tapering above from the periphery of body-whorl to a blunt apex ; composed of four very convex whorls, the last about five-sixths the entire length of the shell, well rounded out. Surface showing faint growth-wrinkles only. Aperture ovate, subangular above, its longest axis about half the length of the shell ; peristnme thin, continuous across the parietal wall and nearly straight there, although not appressed to the body-whorl. Umbili- cus minutely perforated. Color whitish corneous and somewhat translucent. Alt, 2'75, max. diam. 1'80 mm. Longer axis of aperture r.SH mm. Two specimens from Lake Palomas, northeastern Mexico, col- lected by Dr. E. A. Mearns, U.S. A., of the International Boundary Commission. One of the two specimens has the latter third of a THE NAUTILUS. 69 whorl free from the body, as in Lyegyrus, a somewhat common pathologic condition in species of this and allied genera; but in the other and evidently normal specimen the peristome is quite free from the adjacent body-whorl, not appressed thereto. Neither example retains the operculum or dried soft parts, and therefore the generic reference cannot be verified by examination of the dentition, but the figure of the shell is that of a Bythinella rather than of an Amnicola. It is a stumpier species than 1>. binneyi Tryon, and has far less inflated whorls than B. brevlmma Pils., but these two species are conchologically its nearest allies among United States species. Of the short-spired Mexican forms, Amnicola orizabensis C. & F. is totally diverse, although the figures in Crosse & Fischer's work (pi. 50, fig. 4, a, 6) look somewhat like this species. A. guatemalensis C. & F. is larger, with relatively smaller aperture. ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT [Couducted in the interest of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the Agassiz Association by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.] Every week the General Secretary receives letters from the mem- bers of the Chapter telling of the benefits of Chapter membership. A good rule to follow in exchanging specimens is this : " Give a little more than you receive." The one who exchanges merely to add to the number of shells in his own cabinet, loses one nf the great pleasures in life — the blessedness of giving pleasure to others. NOTES ON SHELLS. [Report of Mrs. E. C. Soper. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea < 'al Chap- ter of the Agassiz Association for 1894.) My enjoyment in studying shells is greatly lessened by the fact that to obtain good specimens I must collect those that are "alive," and then go through the intensely disagreeable operation of killing the helpless animals. Though, as we are told, they are not so sensitive to pain as the higher organisms, yet the poor, writh- ing, quivering creatures appeal to my pity in a very great degree. However, men's cruelty, perhaps, does not surpass or equal that of the winds and the waves, and of the stronger animals that prey upon 70 THE NAUTILUS. the weaker ; but, until I overcome my repugnance to the killing and dissecting of molluscs, I shall take more enjoyment in studying their homes than in getting acquainted with the inmates themselves. Being a new member of this Society, and also a novice in concho- logical lore, I can hardly hope to write anything of much interest to the older members, but, perhaps, the younger ones may care to hear about some of my most interesting (to me) " finds." * * I shall never forget an expedition, taken in the early part of this year ('94), to Long Beach, in company with a friend, when our enthusiasm for collecting had juet begun. Leaving Long Beach a short time before noon, we started to walk to Alamitos Bay, neither of us knowing the distance. We picked up so many shells that, be- fore we were half way there, we were very tired ; but determined to reach our destination, we pressed on, were caught in a shower, and finally reached the bay more dead than alive, judging from our feelings. We found nothing very valuable, but we fairly staggered under the load of shells we carried home, which place we did not reach until after dark. We were told the distance was five miles each way, and we believed it. Last summer, during a trip taken with the Chatauqua Assembly School in Oonchology, 1 picked up a shell near a fisherman's cot- tage on Tim Point, which proved to be a small specimen of Siphon- alw b'lletti Fbs. While cleaning it, I noticed, about two inches from the lip, on the inside, a rusty looking spot, through which the water trickled. After using quite a quantity of acid to take off the accumulation of foreign matter on the outside which nearly hid the form of the shell, I discovered opposite the rusty spot, and imbedded in the hard shell, a tiny mussel, halt' an inch long. I thought I had made a discovery ; but, alas! on turning to " West C..:ist Shells," I found that these little mussels grow sometimes in large shells. I think it is Adula sty/hia Cpr., but so small and delicate! How did it carve a home to fit it so perfectly? I have taken a good deal of pleasure in rude attempts to draw and paint some of the more simply formed shells, but I find it is difficult to reproduce them faithfully. When in San Francisco, I had the privilege of a day in the Academy of Sciences, of looking at Tryon's magnificent work, which was beautifully illustrated in colors. I also had the pleasure of visiting Mill's College and the University at Berkeley, and of seeino- the collections of shells at both these institutions, and I shall THE NAUTILUS. 71 always remember the courtesy shown to me, and the kindly interest taken in my growing desire to know something about conchology by those who have long made it a study. MRS. MARY P. DARLING has collected, at the various beaches in Los Angeles County, and reports " one hundred and eighty-three species; among them are a live Calliostoma splendens and a dead Nassa insculpta." WITH A DREDGE. [Report of Miss Ida M. Shepard. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Concholoirical Chapter of the Agassiz Association lor 1894.] I have added a number of specimens to my collection during the year, and had the pleasure of dredging in the bay, with very good results. It is with impatience we wait the dredge to fill, after drop- ping it over the stern of the boat; and when it comes up filled with mud how we watch and exclaim over some treasure we see as the mud is being washed out. But often we find nothing, and often many good and rare specimens. I will tell 'you of what a few dredges contained. After the dredge is pulled up and the mud washed out, the contents, if any, are dumped into the tub, and we look it over, and find nothing but a stone or two and a few Ollvella boetica, Tornalina culcitella, and young Riclaxis punctocaelatus. After the dredge was dropped over again, I picked up a small stone and looked it over, and soon gave an exclamation of delight, for, on one side, snugly in its nest, was a fine, large Lima orientalis Ad. & Rve. It did not take long to cut the nest from the stone and put it into ajar of sea-water, and before we reached the shore the Lima came out of the nest and swam around the jar. I wish I could give a good description of what a beauty it was swimming. Will do the best I can. About j of the length of the shell the tentacles are of a bright rose color, the rest pure white, and, as it swam around, its beauty can be imagined. The tentacles are about i inch in length. It would put out its foot at times to help it along. Another dredge brought up a fine, large Clidlophora punctata Cpr., and it gave an exhibition after being put into a cup of sea- water and sand. Other dredges gave live Dentalium hexagonum Sby., Seala hindsii Cpr., Eulima micans Cpr., Mangllia varieyata Turbonilla tridentata, Macoma yoldiformis, and the pretty Tellina variegata Cpr. 72 THE NAUTILUS. Besides dredging comes the collecting of fine Lunatia Fissiiridea agpersa, Acmceapelta var. hybrida, Acmcea pelta var. nacel- loides, Diplodonia orbella and nests; Lacuna carinata and two finds of over 150 Terebratella transversa. Then dead specimens, in good condition, of Cadulus fusiformis, Parthenia armata, Rissoina in- frequens, Felania sericata, with quantities of rich drift, not yet sorted, which doubtless contains many rare specimens new to my cabinet. GENERAL NOTES. MR. CHARLES W. JOHNSTON left Philadelphia, September 24, for an extended geological trip in the Eocene regions of Louisiana and Texas. DR. WM. H. DALL has published a resume of the results of his systematic studies on Mactridct and Mesodesmatidce in the last num- ber of the Proc. Malacological Society of London. PROF. GILBERT D. HARRIS has been spending some time in Philadelphia studying and remounting Lea's type collection of Claiborne Eocene fossils. ACANTHOCHITES MATTHEWSI Bednall & Pilsbry, described in THE NAUTILUS for February, 1894, from "South Australia," was found by me in St. Vincent's Gulf at Giles' Point, south Yorke's Penin- sula, at an unusually low tide. — E. H. filatlhcws, EPIPHRAGMOPHORA CALIFORNIENSIS VAR. CONTRACOSTJE. — Smaller than var. diabloensis, but of the same depressed form ; light yellowish straw-colored, with or without a dark band ; surface rudely striate and cut -by irregular spirals into small granules ; not malleated or slightly so. Whorls 5« ; outer lip thickened, hardly expanded, white, basal lip expanded and a trifle impinging on um- bilicus, which is deep and rather widely open, somewhat as in Poly- gyra Jciawaensis. Locality, Byron Hot Springs, Contra Costa Co., California. — Pilsbry. EPIPHRAGMOPHORA REMONDI Tryon. — This species is, as Cooper and von Martens have lately recognized, quite distinct from carpen- teri. Ancey's H. verrilli (Conch. Exch.) is a synonyn of Tryou's species, Ancey having been misled by the misidentification of Remondi, which has prevailed since the publication by Gabb of his Lower California finds. — Pilsbry. THE NAUTILUS. VOL. ix. NOVEMBER, 1895. No. 7 ON DOLABELLA CALIFORNICA STEARNS. BY HENRY A. PILSBRY. The genus Dolabella has long been known as an inhabitant of the Indian Ocean and Polynesia, but it had not been reported from American waters until Sowerby described the shell of I), guayaquil- ensis, from Guayaquil, in 1868. In 1879 Dr. R. E. C. STEARNS described a D. aaliforniea from Mulege Bay, Gulf of California, but unfortunately the shells only were available for his study. They were found by Mr. "\V. J. Fisher "in pools left by the tide" at the locality named. Part of the specimens collected by Fisher were secured by Mr. W. N. Lockington, and presented to the Academy, in alcohol ; so I am enabled to give below a description of the animal of this interesting addition to the West Coast fauna, which proves to be nearest allied to A. tony ana and ecaudata, Polynesian species. The dentition of Dolabella is excessively peculiar, and together with the unusual position of the genital orifice, necessitates the for- mation of a new subfamily, Dolabellince, for this genus. D. californica Stearns. Description of alcoholic specimens: — Length 12 to 14 cm. Oblong-ovate, broadly rounded behind, Aplysia-like in front. Buc- cal tentacles ear-like, short and folded about at the middle, not pro- duced toward the mouth ; tentacles conic and slit ; the very minute 74 THE .NAUTILUS. eyes in front of them and more separated. Mouth a vertical slit iu a papillose disk. Swimming lobes arising at or behind the middle of the animal's length, contiguous. Posterior subcircular area de- fined by a groove with smooth, raised anterior edge, and enclosing a cord. Mantle having a large shell-foramen and a long posterior siphonal fold. Genital orifice under the back part of the gill. Color (in alcohol) dark olive, or dull brown with more or less black maculation. In life it is said to be " a dark brown and the surface covered with warty papillse." Shell solid, with a brown cuticle. Apex with a roughened reflexed callus, continuing along the dorsal margins as a reflexed border over the cuticle. In external appearance, this species seems nearest to D. ecuitdata and tongaiia, but the posterior area is defined by a far less conspic- uous frill, which does not extend to the edges of the dorsal slit. Dolabella guayaquilensis, a species known by the shell only, is stated to have the margins '' scarcely reflected, callus small, narrow, not continued upon the margins," while in the present species the mar- gins are bounded by unusually broad reflexed callous bands. Traces of sparsely scattered wart-like papillse are visible on some specimens, mainly posteriorly, but these are not very distinct in the alcoholic examples. Two of the original lot collected by Fisher are before me, the smaller one being drawn in my figure, and another specimen of a dark olive color collected by Dr. W. H. Jones on the " \\Vst coast of Mexico," has also been examined. DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW PISIDIA BY DR. V. 8TERKI. In looking over more than 20,000 specimens of Plsidiitm, during the last twelve months, the writer came across numerous new forms, and many of them will prove to be new species. But, as some of those already published are not fixed beyond a doubt, owing to insufficient descriptions and figures, and lack of reliable originals, and as new forms are constantly coming in, it will be advisable not to hurry with publications. Yet a few of these new species were seen from so many different places, and come to hand again and again that it is too unsatisfactory to return them without or only with MS. THE NAUTILUS. 75 names. Besides, they are not doubtful species, being well defined and distributed over wide areas. Mr. E. W. Roper having examined specimens wished the writer to publish these species. The descriptions will not be exhaustive, especially as to the hinges, leaving that, as well as figures, for a monograph, but they will be sufficient for recognition of the species. P. WALKERI n. sp. Mussel of medium size, elongated, rather in- flated, resembling P. abditum, but is smaller than good sized exam- ples of that species ; it is also more elongated, and the smaller and moderately prominent beaks are more posterior ; thus the anterior part is comparatively very long, with the end rounded, the posterior quite short, truncated at the end; scutum and scutellum well marked. The shell is very thin, translucent, the surface verv finely, and sharply striated, often somewhat scaly, dullish, or with a silky gloss; color grayish, along the margin more or less yellowish horn. Hinge moderately strong, of the same type as in Pi*, abditum; car- dinal tooth of the right valve moderately curved, its posterior part thickened and with a deep furrow; below this tooth, there is a deep groove formed by the inferior edge of the hinge list raised ; and the same formation is in the left valve below the deep groove between the two cardinal teeth ; ligament comparatively strong. Long. 4'5, alt. 3'7, diam. 2'S mill. In outline, our species has some resemblance with P. virginicum, by its elongate shape, the beaks situated posteriorly, the long and below somewhat sacciform anterior part. But it is much smaller, its shell quite thin, the hinge finer, the striation finer and the beaks are much smaller. P. walkeri is quite a characteristic and beautiful species which cannot be mistaken for any other. It has a wide geographical dis- tribution but seems to live not in great numbers together, as e. g. P. abditum, compression and others do. For the first time I found it in a lot of Pisidiu from Kent County, Michigan, in the collection of Mr. Byrant Walker — in whose honor it has been named — , and in another from Utica, Mich. Later it was seen from Grand Rapids, Mich. (L. H. Streng), Columbia, Pa. (Bryant Walker), Mohawk, N. Y. (in E. W. Roper's collection, from E. R. Mayo) ; Clearwater and Mississippi rivers, Minn. (H. E. Sargent). P. POLITUM n. sp. Mussel of medium size, well inflated, rather high, beaks slightly posterior, rather high and prominent, not full but well rounded ; scutum and scutellum slightly marked. Supe- 76 THE NAUTILUS. rior margin rather short, rather strongly curved ; inferior well curved, more so in front than behind ; posterior margin distinctly truncated, with a well marked angle where joining the superior, and a less marked, rounded angle where joining the inferior margin ; anterior end forming a slight but distinct angle situated rather high up. Surface very finely, irregularly striated, polished ; whitish or straw colored, often leaden-grayish on the beaks, or even all over. Shell moderately thick, nacre whitish ; muscular insertions not very distinct; hinge of essentially the same type as that in Pis. abditum. Long. 4-0, alt. 3'4, diam. 2'4 mill. ; 4'7 : 4'0 :2'9 mill, from another place. Pis. politum is rather variable in size, and more so in color as noted above, but so markedly constant in its several habitats that a number of different local forms, or varieties could be described. It has some resemblance with Pi's, abditum Hald. and Pis. rariabile Pr. ; from the former it is different by its being somewhat smaller, comparatively shorter and higher, the beaks being less full, the surface finer striated and more polished ; from the latter it is distin- guished by its smaller size, the beaks being less full, the antero- superior margin less straight, and the angle at the anterior end being situated higher up; the shell is thinner and the hinge less strong, the coloration different. With all these differences appearing only gradual, our Plsidium is a good species beyond a doubt and will always be recognized. It was found, in May a. c., in the outlet of a small peaty swamp near New Philadelphia, Ohio, about 200 specimens, in company with Pis. abditum, varibile and compressiim, all, when fresh, being of a remarkably uniform color and appearance; Philadelphia, Pa. (Morris Schick) ; Grand Rapids, Mich. (L. H. Streng) ; Joliet, 111. (Jas. H. Ferriss); Clearwater River, and Dallas Lake, Minn. (H. E. Sargent). P. MILIUM Held. This is not a new species, but new to our country. A number of specimens from East Twin Lake, at Charle- voix, Michigan, dead shells but in perfect condition, in the collection of Mr. Bryant Walker, were, after careful comparison, found to be congruent, in shape and appearance, as well as in the hinge char- acters, with one of the larger forms of Pis. milium from England, so that there can be no doubt in their identity. New Philadelphia, Ohio, Oct., 1895. THE NAUTILUS. 77 EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE. Natchitoches, Louisiana. October 6, 1895. My first work was two miles below Mabelvale (12 miles southwest of Little Rock, Arkansas) along Fourche creek ; an outcrop of Eocene limestone of the Midway or Clayton stage occurs here, con- taining Enclimatoceras itlrichi, Ostrea pulaskensis, Cucullea micro- donta. Cytherea sp., Venericardia planieostn, etc., etc. Most of the fossils consist of casts only, and are difficult to obtain from the hard limestone. The situation was very favorable for land shells, how- ever, and the heavy rain of the day before had caused the snails to start from their hiding places and I found them very abundant, crawling over the rocks and leaves. Heliclna orbiculata, Poh/gyra tlnjroides var. bucculenta, Polygyra inflecta and large fine specimens of Zonites friabiKs were particularly common, while a search brought to light Poli/gyra stenotrema, Potygyra divestu, Selenites concavu, and Pyramid-iila alternata var. mordax. The whole bluff was strewn with dead shells, and in turning over a log one of the enemies of the Helices was found, a large beetle of the genus Cychrus. At White Bluff on the Arkansas River, in Jefferson Co., Arkansas, is a bed of Upper Claiborne. The principal fossils collected were Venericardia planiuosta, Nucula ovula, Cytherea discoidalis, Corbula nasuta, C. oniteus, Turrit e Ha arenicola var. branneri, Turritella clevelandia, Pseudoliva retusta, Lievifitsus branneri, Volutilithes petrosus, Solarium bellastriatum, a fine series of Mazzalina inaurata, and many others, altogether probably 25 or 30 species. At Vince Bluff on the Saline River in Cleveland Co., Arkansas, is a small exposure of the Jackson bed from which about thirty species were obtained. The river was very low and in many places paved with Unios. As it was getting late, and a drive of eleven miles was before me I had very little time to collect ; but upon cleaning the "catch" next morning, found 1 had the following species: Unio pyramidatus, U. crassidens (.?), U. trigonus, U. camehis, U. tnrgidus, U. pustulosus, U. near castaneus, U. plicatit*, U. cornutus, U. metan- ever, U. tnipezoides, U. securis, U. hydeanux, U. aberti, U. tubereula- tus U. near satur, U. gracilis, U. purpuratm. The first five species were abundant and many of the others would prove equally so with more thorough collecting. It is an ideal spot for a " Uniologist.'' Campeloma subsolidum Anth. and Pleurocera elevatnm were also abundant, and among the former I find one specimen of Vivipara subpurpurea Say. 78 THE NAUTILUS. My next collecting was done at Mt. Lebanon, Bienville Parish, Louisiana. This is the locality discovered by Mr. T. Wayland Vauglian, and through bis kindness in giving me the exact position of the bed, I was able to find it, after considerable digging, as the banks had caved down. I succeeded in getting a very interesting lot of fossils, including fine specimens of Anomia ephippoides. While waiting for a train as Shreveport I took a stroll along the Red River and a small tributary ("Lake") to the north of the city. Nothing was to be found along the river except quantities of dead Helices, etc. among the flood-debris, but which have practically no value, as their habitat may have been Arkansas, Texas, or Indian Territory. Along the shores of the " Lake " I found some beautiful specimens of Uirio alutus and U. anodontoides ; and Campeloma snb- solidum and Vtvipani subpurpitrea were quite plentiful. Although the Red River was extremely low, the ever-changing bars and the freshet-swept shores are unfavorable situations for mollusca ; while in the smaller rivers and tributaries they are abundant. CHARLES ~\V. JOHNSON. NOTE ON THE GENUS JOANNISIA. BY W. H. DA LI,. In the Transactions of the Wagner Free Institute of Science vol1 III, p. 545, April, 1895, I proposed the name of Joannisia for Gyrenella oblonga Sowerby and another Philippine island species which had been referred to Cyrenella (or Cyrenoida Joannis) as the hinge of these species is quite different from that of the original type of Cyrenella (or Cyrenoida). The Marquis de Monterosato kindly calls my attention to the fact that in 1888 he had used the name Jomiigia for a genus typified by Tylodina eitriua Joannis (Norn. Gen. Con. Medit., p. 149). I would therefore modify the name as applied to the Philippine bivalve to Joannisiella. ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT. [C'nliilui-tril in th.. inti'l-iM "f tin- I-a:ir l.r:l <' -iM.l.'tlial Cli:i|itiT "f tile A gassiz A— ti'in I iy itn lii-Ti. r:il Sein-tary, Mr>. M. liurl.ui Willi;mi-»n, | Before the November issue of THE NAUTILUS each member of Chapter will have received a copy of our new printed list of mem- bers. A number of new names appear upon the list. THE NAUTILUS. 79 Please bear in mind that our Chapter reports are due next month (December). It is expected that our volume of Transactions will be very large this year. Write only on one side of paper eight by ten inches in size. Leave a margin of one and one-half inches at the left. Every member is expected to send in a report. A short one will be better than none. The election of officers for the Chapter also occurs in December. The President and General Secretary, who also acts as Treasurer, are the officers to be elected. Those who have not paid dues in advance will please bear them in mind. RAISING BABY SNAILS. [From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter.] Prof. Keep once inquired, in the Popular Science News, " Did any one ever raise baby snails? " I copy from an old note book: "May 24, 1886, Mesodon thyroides deposited forty -three eggs. All hatched between 4 P. M., June 8 and noon June 9. June 23 found fifty-seven eggs." They were in two nests, and I probably removed the mother before her day's work was done, as I found fourteen more immediately after, making seventy-one. "July 1 1, sixty-nine. July 20, forty-seven." Whole number deposited in four days less than two months by one snail, 230. Those hatched June 8 show, on July 1, small umbilicus, 2i whorls, and on July 8, three full whorls. July 23, four whorls, umbilicus partly covered. Shell so thin it is almost impossible to handle. The following January, nearly five whorls, lip thickening and slightly everted. Callous on the body-whorl, but no tooth. If any one interested in the study of mollusca could raise young, from any or all species in their vicinity, it would not only be in- structive, but would save time and patience, when an undeveloped shell is found, in trying to find out what it is. The tiny youngsters have sometimes very little resemblance to an old one. I am rarely without one or two colonies. 80 THE NAUTILUS. MY FIRST YEAR COLLECTING AND STUDYING SHELLS. [Report of H. Lowe. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the- Agassiz Association for 1894 ] My knowledge of collecting shells is quite limited as I have only studied conchology for about a year. I have collected chiefly at Long Beach and San Pedro, but prefer the latter place for collect- ing as it offers a great variety of beach, rocks, sand and mud flats. At Dead Man's Id. are to be found rock shells in abundance, the Chlorostoma, Monoceros, and Littorina clinging in dark patches on the rocks of the breakwater, while among them are bright red star- fish and Chitons. The Pomaulax undosiis are also plentiful, for at one time I picked up thirty-five living specimens in one place. On the great pieces of kelp which are seen floating in the tide pools, are often found colonies of the beautiful Norrisia norrisii with their strawberry colored bodies extended from the shell. I have found beautiful live specimens of Sernele decisa in sand between the rocks on the Bay side of Dead Man's Id. and good spec- imens of the Cordium quadriyenariinn in the mud flats. Olivella biplicata may be found at low tide between Rattlesnake Id. and Terminal Id. Most of the shells of Alamitos Bay are bivalve, while those of San Pedro and Dead Man's Id. are mostly Gastropods. This Summer Neverita rechiziana has been quite plentiful for I found one hundred and twenty-five in one morning at the Douax beds at Long Beach, and I found it quite true as Prof. Keep says, that the Natica eat clams for I caught them while boring into Donaces. * * * * * Among other interesting relics which I found this Summer was the house which the Oedalina subdiaphana Desh., builds. It is made of sand and some substance which holds the sand together and covers the shell completely except for two tiny holes left for the siphons. It is about an inch long, and may some- times be seen lying on the mud flats at Alamitos Bay, and resembles lumps of sand. The shell of the little inollusk which lives inside is pure white and very delicate, the lines of growth are distinct and the ligament is internal. You mav have wondered in walking along the beach, what the curious formation of sand, looking like a horse's hoof was. By some THE NAUTILUS. 81 people they are called " sand dollars." I was greatly puzzled over them till this summer when I learned, at the Conchology Class of the Chautanqua Assembly what they were. They are the egg cases of the Natica and are full of microscopic eggs mixed with the sand. Sometimes on top of the egg cases are found the eggs of the Nassa lying in long rows. NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. ON THE STRUCTURE AND AFFINITIES OF SOME NEW SPECIES OF MOLLUSCS FROM BORNEO. — By W. E. Collingeand H. H. Godwin- Austen, P. Z. S., 1895. — This interesting paper gives descriptions and many figures of three new slugs collected by Mr. Everett in Borneo. The fact is brought out, that the slugs of Borneo resem- ble in their anatomy some of the shell-bearing forms of that island, rather than the Indian slugs to which they show more outward similarity. The first species is placed in Damayanlia Issel, for all that it has a shell. The suggestion that Issel was mistaken in sup- posing that his genus was shell-less is probably correct ; the present writer had in Ann. Mag. N. H., Jan., 1891, p. 100, suggested a doubt as to the validity of this character by quoting it within inverted commas. Some remarks are given as to Tennentia, which is said to be " probably synonymous with Issel's genus," but immediately be- low is correctly shown to be equivalent to Mariaella. It is probable that the authors meant to say that the so-called Tennentia philip- pinensis is a Damayanlia, but not that Tenitentia=MariaellaiB Dam- ayantia ! If the latter synonymy held, Muriaella would of course be the name of the genus, having long priority. The statement that Dekhania G.-A. is the same as Mariaella and " must be suppressed " conies rather late in the day, since the present writer had suppressed it, with all due pomp and solemnity, in 1891 (t. c., p. 103-104), and again in the check-list of 1893. The other two species are placed in Mieroparmarion, a genus or subgenus lately instituted by Simroth for a species from Java. Curiously, in making comparisons, Africarion pal/ens is said to be from South India, whereas it was really from Abyssinia, vide Godwin-Austen, Moll, of India, 1883. Simroth's division of the Javan slugs into Purmarion and Micro- parmarion may be justified, but a new name is apparently required 82 THE NAVTILTTS. for what he calls Parmarion. If we admit that the Javan slugs are ii' i <,'ir//« oiiigmnticu, (_'rej~>!iln/n ni'/iii/ittn Mabille; Pleurobr i<'un etc. ; the shell is very 2 More about this foatiire will be said in another place. THE NAUTILUS. 93 heavy in crassideng, and the teetli very strong and of the same type with the other species of group B, while the decided downward curvature at the posterior end in old specimens approaches both species to the same, and removes them decidedly from A. In U. multiplicalus the female was found November 1, with evi- dently mature embryones filling the uterus sacs, which are of rather the same appearance as those of U. alaius, and occupying the most posterior part of the outer branchiae. Also, otherwise this species is quite different from U. undulatus Barn., in spite of the similar ap- pearance of the old mussels, as already pointed out by Say. A few words about U. alatus Say, laevissimus Lea and gracilis Barn, may be added. Of all three the branchial uteri were found filled late in October, in the former evidently discharging the em- bryones, and of a rather different formation from that in the two others, while the young mussels of the two former species are very much alike. It is known that in U. alatus the female mussel is markedly produced downward, and more so in giaeilis, while in laevissimus it is scarcely distinct from the male. Besides these two main, and, as it seems, most numerous groups, there are some species of quite different types. In order not to let this article become too lengthy, they, together with Murgnrifuna and An.odonta will be considered later. It is probably known to most conchologisls that during the first two or three vears of life, the genital glands are not developed at all. Yet the specimens are still rather small and young when they begin producing ova and spernia.and the assertion that the presence of embryones is a criterion of maturity of the parent is as far from truth here as it is for the Cyeladidce. In group A the filled uterus- or embryo-sacs increase in numbers as well as in size with advancing age of the mother animal. In U. subovatus Lea, e.g., 18, 25,28, 40 have been counted on a side, in specimens of different sizes, and these are probably not the lowest and highest numbers to be found, and correspondingly so in other species. For every one of them there is, however, an average number the rule for an adult, and these numbers are very different for the different species. The embryones, or glochidia, of many species have been exam- ined and figured long ago, especially by Lea, and they prove to be of rather different forms. Very probably they would be found more or less uniform in the several groups, and with the latter show differences which may also be of value for systematic^. Although 94 THE NAUTILUS. having examined some of them, and their development, the writer is not prepared, as yet, to speak in a general way about them. New Philadelphia, Ohio, Nov., 1895. NOTES AND NEWS. NEW RECORDS OF REVERSED AMERICAN HELICES. — I have my- self found three reversed Helices. First, reversed tlii/roides. This specimen I sent to the late John G. Anthony for the Cambridge Collection. Second, reversed muUiline.ala. This also I sent to Anthony. I now have another reversed thyroides in my collection. I also know of a third one, collected near Cincinnati, by the late Mr. Stannage, and also of a reversed mitchelliana collected by Prof. F. W. Bryant near Cincianati. This makes a list of six reversed specimens of Mesodun, which I have seen. Dr. Lewis had a reversed albolulris in his collection. This does not indicate that Patnla has much the start. — A. G. WETHERBY, Magnetic City, N. C. VlTRINA LIMPIDA IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. The last time I saw you I promised to send you some living Vitrina HmpidaGld. if my " colony" had not died out, so I send you a dozen and trust they will reach you in good shape. Last year I only found 12 alive, so feared the " colony " had died out, and, up to to-day, had not found a single specimen this year. It has been exceedingly dry this season, the deficit in rain fall being iii'urfy 11 inches up to November 1, but yesterday we had a steady, soaking rain ; so to-day I started out for Vitrina and collected 95 in two hours, so you see, the " colony " is still flourishing in spite of the drought, and burning off the "drift" under which they lived. I think I told you that this " colony" came down the river in the flood of February, 1891, as that was the time the drift lodged in the hollow where they are found, and the Signal Service records show that the '91 flood came from the headwaters of the Allegheny. This is a good example of " dispersal by water," and one that has prac- tically been proved. To-day was cold and raw, with slight snow-spits (Signal Service record for November 10 show maximum temperature 39° F., mini- mum 36° F.), so V. limpida has the same habits as its European THE NAUTILUS. 95 cousin pelliichlu, i. e., out in cold weather. I noticed one or two eggs among the rotten leaves. As to the habits of Vitrina limpida, they were very hard to find yesterday [Nov. 17], as it was much dryer than a week ago, and most of the shells had crawled into the curled-up leaves. One specimen was busily engaged in making a meal off of the shell of a deceased brother or sister, eating right through the shell as is the habit of the Zonites. — GEO. H. CLAPP, Pittsburi/, Pa., in letters. THE STEARNS LOAN COLLECTION IN THE DETROIT MUSEUM OF ART. — The citizens of Detroit, Michigan, are to be congratulated upon the addition to their facilities for scientific and (esthetic edu- cation, of the great collection of archreological and ethnological material of MR. FREDERICK STEARNS. We quote the following from the Detroit Evening News, of November 1 : " The occasion which last night emphasized the significance of the gathering at the Detroit Museum of Art is one which the whole Detroit public ought to recognize. It was the formal dedication to the public use of the additional gifts lately made to the museum by Frederick Stearns. The archaeological and ethnological collection which Mr. Stearns placed in the museum last night is in itself valu- able enough to entitle the donor to public gratitude, but when it is con.-idered that the presentation of last night's collection was but an incident in Mr. Stearns' past relations to the institution, the event places Mr. Stearns among the foremost of Detroit's public benefac- tors. The very presence in a community of a goodly number of persons of Mr. Stearns' tastes and artistic discrimination is a refin- ing influence, but when such a man is willing to contribute not only his technical acquirements and skill, but his pecuniary sub- stance for the common good, the fact goes a long way to negative the current notions about the crime of being rich and refined in taste. The reception of last evening was a recognition in part of the public's appreciation of its indebtedness to Mr. Stearns' munifi- cence, but the best and real recognition will be given from day to day by the individuals who are edified and profited by their visits to the museum. The News tenders its acknowledgements to Mr. Stearns of all the benefits which he has conferred upon Detroit through his generosity to the Museum." We understand that Mr. Stearns is preparing a series of Mollusca for exhibition in a special hall of the Museum of Art. 96 THE NAUTILUS. NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. DESCRIPTION D'UNE NOUV. ESPECE DE MODIOLA (Feuille des Jeunes Naturalistee, May-June, 1895), M. gallica, Dautzenberg, from the ocean coast of France. ON THE VALIDITY OF THE GENUS MARGAEITANA. By Charles T. Simpson (Amer. Nat., April, 1895). The author maintains that Margaritana is not a natural genus, but is of polyphyletic origin, the species having arisen from various diverse groups of Uniones. SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF EXPLORATIONS BY THE U. S. FISH COMMISSION STEAMER ALBATROSS. Report on Mollusca and Brach- iopoda dredged in deep water chiefly near the Hawaiian Islands, with illustrations of hitherto unfigured species from Northwest America. By William Healey Dall. Eight hauls of the dredge were made by the A Ibatross in between 300 and 400 fms., on approaching Hon- olulu, securing a number of very interesting new forms of the genera Scaphander, Pleurotoma, Mangilia, Spergo (a new group) Polinices, Solariella, Emarginula, Dentalium, Euciroa, Lyousiella and Pectun- culus. The anatomy of Euciroa, Halicardia and a new Lyonsiella is discussed by Dall at some length, and the important point that the foliobranch type of gill exists in certain members of groups in which most genera have the reticulate type, is brought forward and amply fortified by figures. Moreover, the branchial septum is shown to be of diverse origin in some allied genera, being made up in part of a reflected nephridial lamina in Halicardia and Lyonsiella. The facts developed tend strongly to break down the primary division of Lamellibranchiata based upon the modifications of the gill, as in the classification of Pelseneer. Euciroa is shown to be different from Yerticordia, of which it had formerly been considered a sub- genus, and a new family, Euciroidce, is formed for it. In gill struc- ture it seems to be intermediate between the foliobranchiate and the reticulate types. " The discovery of this type may be said to prac- tically complete the series uniting the foliobranch with the reticu- late gill, and give the quietus to the classification based solely on the divergencies of the ctenidia." The examination of the soft parts of Mytilimerin fle.rnosa shows that form to constitute a new genus now described as Halicardia. The second part of the paper gives additional information on Northwest American species of Buceinum, Chrysodomus, Trophon, etc., described in Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1891, with good figures of many interesting forms. A valuable essay on the north Pacific Brachiopods concludes the article. THE NAUTILUS. Voi. ix. JANUARY, 1896. No. 9 TO CONCHOLOGISTS. We regret the necessity which compels us to start the new year with an editorial of this nature ; but it is nothing new to hear that the NAUTILUS must struggle for existence. This struggle has con- tinued since the Jura, until now we have but a few species, three or four in the Indo-Pacific and one in the United States. Do you in- tend that the only recent NAUTILUS in North America shall be- come extinct? We are willing to supply the care, but not the en- tire environment. It needs feeding once a month in order to add another septum. You are asked to assist in this important function once a year ; and when you see a slip of paper which reads, " Inclosed! please find $1.00," it means that it has come your turn to " chip in." We hope that you will no longer neglect these little reminders. They mean that your subscription is due. We cannot wait until the end of the year — we must have it in advance. Wishing you all a Happy New Year. H. A. P. & C. W. J. NOTES ON THE WASHINGTON SPHJERIA AND PISIDIA, WITH DE- SCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. BY EDWARD W. ROPER. The great State of Washington has been lightly tone-lied by col- lectors of freshwater shells, but enough is known to indicate that when its hundreds of lakes and rivers are scientifically explored, large and interesting collections will be made. The researches of 98 THE NAUTILUS. Mr. P. B. Randolph at Seattle, and Mr. Henry Heninhi 11 in several localities, have brought to light a goodly array of Sphaeria and Pisidia, and regarding these the following notes may he of interest. Sphcerium primeanum Clessin. This shell, described in the Mon- ograph of the Cyclades, is so little known to collectors that a brief description will he useful. Shell large, equilateral, dark brown or black with lighter beaks, shining. Outline rhomboidal, a little more elongated and the ends more rounded than Kph. rlwmboideum Say, but the dorsal aspect very much like that of the species. The full, rounded beaks make the vertical section broadly cordate. One specimen, chestnut colored and with yellow border, is so close to Sph. rhomboideum as to be held in doubt. That species has been found in northern Idaho, and may naturally be expected from Washington. S. primeautnn was found in Lake Washington, Seattle. S. dentatum Hald. Handsome, bright green shells, differing only in color from brownish Oregon specimens, are doubtfully referred to this species. Collected at Spokane Falls by Mrs. Mary P. Olney. iS'p/i. nubile Gould. Identified by Dr. J. G. Cooper. It is a large, shining, dark brown shell, resembling fyilt. tlciitntum Hald., but less inflated. The young shells are thin and smooth, while in S. den- tiihuii they are more heavily striated than the adult. Abundant in small streams, Seattle. Sph. occidental Prime. Found at Spokane Falls by Hemphill. .Vy///. riii/iiiiinili .1. < >. Cooper. Small specimens abundant in streams at. Seattle. Larger ones in Lake Washington. Beautiful specimens from Spokane Falls and Chehalis River (Hemphill). Also found in Idaho ami Vancouver's Island. The species was found orii;inallv by Mr. Wm. J. Raymond in Tuolumne Co., Cal., at an altitude of 8700 feet, in 1889. 1'ixiiliinn Idn/iiii 'nxe Roper. First found by Mr. Henry Hemphill at Old Mission, Idaho, in 18!)0. Found abundantly in streams at Seattle by Mr. Randolph, and much larger than the types. One fine specimen has the following dimensions: Long. 0'4~> inch; lat. 0'39 inch ; diam. <)•">() inch. This is certainly the largest known specie.- nf I'isidiiui). /'. r,ii-inhilc Prime. Streams at Seattle. Unusually large. /'. i;,iii/,ri:xxit»t Prime. Green Lake, Seattle. /'. nlxlihnii Hald. Common in water courses at Seattle. /'. iilti-iuiiitn-ie than any other which has fallen under his notice. In describing the ligamental characters the term "resilium" i.< proposed for the so-called " cartilage '' or " internal ligament." The Steinmann Formula, based on the teeth, sockets and resilium, is thoroughly ex- plained. The Pelecypoda are divided into three orders— Prionodes- inacea, Anomalodesmacea and Tf/eodesmacea. The first order con- tains thirty-four families, leading factors being So/emj/id/r, Xiini- lidce, Arcidce, Pteriidce, Osfreidtr, Unionidce, Tr/i/oniiJir, Pecteitidoe, Anniniidcr and Mytilidce. Each of the above and of the following families being the typical representatives of a Superfamily. The second Order contains fifteen families, typical ones being Anntini/iir, Clavagellidce, Pornmyidce. The third contains forty-seven families, such as Plenro/ihoridoe f, Astartidce, Cyreuidce, Cm-iiifidn-, Chamidce, HippuritidcB, LucinidoK, Leptonidte, Cardiidw, Tridacnidce, Isocar- diidcE, Veneridce, Tellinidce, Solenidce, Mactridte, Myacidai and Pholadidce. The paper is concluded with some timely notes on nomenclature. — 0. W. J. CATALOGUE OF THE MARINE MOLLUSKS OF JAPAN, COLLECTED BY FREDERICK STEARNS. By H. A. Pilsbry. Detroit: F. Stearns, 1895. 8 vo, 214pp. and 11 plates. Every one interested in geographical distribution, or in the fauna of eastern Asia, will be grateful for the liberality of Mr. Stearns, who obtained, and the care of Mr. Pilsbry, who has enumerated and identified, the large collection here treated of. 106 THE NAUTILI'S. Not content with the labor of naming and cataloging Mr. Stearns' shells, Mr. Pilsbry has searched the literature and made a catalogue, not only of the shells collected by Mr. Stearns, but of all the species described from or assigned to Japan by earlier authors, thereby pro- ducing a most handy list which no student of mollusks can afford to be without. Notwithstanding the care with which the Monographs of Dunker and Lischke were made, the present catalogue enumerates about 20 per cent, more species than the latest of them. In addition to the list of marine mollusks and brachiopods, the hind and fresh" water shells collected by Mr. Stearns are catalogued, and also a supplementary series of Loo Choo Island species, obtained by a native collector in Mr. Stearns employ. The plates and presswork are excellent, aud the work, as a whole, is creditable to all concerned in its production, and cannot fail to be useful to students. - JJ* H. D. PRELIMINARY CATALOGUE OF THE MARINE MOLLUSKS OF THE PACIFIC COAST OF CANADA, with notes on their distribution. By Rev. Geo. W. Taylor, Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, Vol. 1 (2d series), pages 17 to 100. This catalogue is very complete and full (if interesting notes on distribution, etc. The number of species recorded is 284, to which is added a list of 67 land and fresh- water species, making the total number of British Columbian Mol- lusca at present known, 351. BULLETINS OF AMERK-AN PALEONTOLOGY, Vol. I, No. 3. NEO- CKNTK MOLLUSCA OF TEXAS, OR FOSSILS FROM THE DEEP WlvLL AT ( IALVESTON. By G. D. Harris. In this Bulletin, 19 new species and f> new varieties are described and figured, together with notes and figures of other species. Most of the specimens were obtained from a depth ranging from 2100 to 2920 feet. Up to this date no other marine Neocene fossils are known from the Gulf slope west of the Mississippi. The Bulletin contains 32 pages and 4 well executed plates. MoLI.rsi,H'l> Ki:rUEILLIS SUR LES COTES DE LA TuNESIE ET DE L'ALUKRII:, par Ph. Dautzenberg (Mi? ID. Soc. Zool. de France, 1895, p. 363). List, with descriptions of some new varieties of Mediterranean shells, and full information on the occurrence of ii iii the Mediterranean Sea. ON SOME PLIOCENE FRESH-WATER FOSSILS OF CALIFORNIA. ON LAND AND FRESH-WATER SHELLS OK LOWER CALIFORNIA, No. 5. THE NAUTILUS. 107 ON WEST MEXICAN LAND AND FRESH-WATER MOLLUSCA. ( 'ATALOGUE OF MARINE SHELLS * * * LOWER CALIFOR- NIA. By J. G. Cooper (Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., IV, V). In the first of these papers, Margaritana subangulata is described and figured as new, and the following species are figured: Anodonta decurtata Conr., Ano. nuttaUiana var. tiynitim Coop., Limncea con- tracostce Coop., Plnnorbis pabloanua Coop, and Amnicola yatesiana Coop. In the second, land shells collected about 25 miles north of Cape St. Lucas are considered. Bulimulus decipiens being described as new. The generic name Plicoliimna is proposed for Rhodea var. ramentosa Coop. ; it is therefore equivalent to Dull's Pseudorhordea (Nautilus, Sept., 1895). The Melaniella ei&eniana J. G. Coop, is referred to Strebel's genus Pseudoiubulina, a group of Glcmdinidce, on evidence of the dentition, which has been worked out by Dall. In his paper on West Mexican Land Shells, Cooper announces the presence of the northern forms Conulus fulvus, Hyaliuiu inde,n- tata, Limncea columella, Sphcfrium partumeiitnivar. tmneatum,from Tepee, south of Mazatlan, as well as other species belonging to the Mexican fauna. The last paper enumerates marine shells collected mainly by Mr. W. E. Bryant, including; some interesting forms, but no new species. NOTES AND NEWS. PLOVER CAUGHT BY A PINNA — The article in the September number, "A Sora Caught by a Mussel," recalls a similar incident which I observed at New Pass, Sarasota Key, Fla. It was after a heavy storm, and there was a large number of Pinna muricata washed ashore. On my return to the boat after collecting some shells, I observed a Killdeer Plover that seemed very tame, but on a closer examination I found that it was caught by a Pinna. In this case it was caught by the bill. Its tongue was bleeding and the bill was indented by the sharp edges of the shell. It was with some difficulty that I removed the shell and let the Plover go re- joicing on its way. — E. J. Post. MR. CHAS. LERov WHEELER has been appointed Curator of the Lackawanna Institute of History and Science, Scranton, Pa. They desire to obtain more material in all branches of natural history, 108 THE NAUTILUS. and any assistance from older institutions or their members will be sincerely appreciated. LEPIDOPLEUKUS IN NEW ZEALAND. — Pome months ago we re- ceived numerous specimens of a Lepidopleurm from Mr. H Suter; collected by him in Auckland Harbor. The species seemed to us to be a new one; but on requesting Mr. E. R. Sykes of London to compare with the types of certain forms in the British Museum, he found it to be identical with Reeve's Chiton inquinatus — a result wholly unexpected. The species was described from Tasmania, but South Australian specimens we have seen (collected by Mr. Bed- nail) agree in all respects with those found by Mr. Suter in New Zealand.— if. .1. P. THE EARLIEST PUBLICATION OF Dorcasia GRAY. — In examining the appendix of James Edward Alexander's Expedition of Discov- ery into the Interior of Africa (London, 1838), I find on p. 268 of volume II, a description by Gray of the genus Dorcasia and the species D. ah'.candri. This group has hitherto been dated from its publication in the Zeitschrift fur Malakozoologie, 1845. Helicodonta sculpturiitii Gray (== Sculptaria senljilin-ntii') is also described, with (on p. 269) two alleged Bulimi, B. hutfeiitota and B. eulimoide. All were collected by the expedition about the Great Fish River in Great Namaqualand. B. eulimoiile apparently belongs to theSteno- gyra group. This publication seems to have been unknown to Pfeiff'er and other writers on African land snails. — Pilsbry. ON THE NAMES OF CERTAIN SUBGENERA OF Helicostyla. — For some inscrutable reason, the writer, when considering these groups in the Manual of Conchology, neglected to ascertain the fact that the names Prochilm and Endoxus of Albers have long been preoccupied. They may stand in future as follows : Dolichostyla n. n. (—Prochihis Alb., I860, not of Illiger, 1811, Mammalia, nor of Brulle, 1835, Orthoptera, nor of Cuvier, 1817, Pisces). 0]Mfl!fixt. Matinicock Point, 3 fathoms, mud : Axtyris lunata Say, 3 ; Tritia trivtitata Say, 1 ; Pandora trilineata, 3 ; Nueula proxima, 34. Plum Point, Oyster Bay Harbor, 3 to 4 fathoms ; oyster beds : Tornatina eanaliculata Say 2 ; Astyrix lunata, 8 ; Urosalpinx cinereus Say, 4; Fulgur eanalieulatum Say (young), Eupleura cau- data 7 ; Solen americana Gould (young), Pandora trilineata, 4 ; Area transversa, 7 ; Nueula proxima 21 ; Pecten irradians, 1. Lloyd's Harbor, 2 fathoms; mud and eel grass: Tornatina eanaliculata, 35 ; Bittium nigrum, 29 ; Odostomia trifida, 36; Turbonilla elegans, 1 ; Anachis avara Say. 7; Astyris lunata, abundant ; Nassa obsoleta, abundant ; N. vibff, 2 ; Urosalpinx <-iu- ereus 1; Eupleura caudata, 15; Pandora trilineata, 1; Mulinia lateralis, 12 ; Lyonsia hyalinia Say, 2 ; Tellina tenera, 1 ; Area transversa, 3 ; Nueula proxima, 34 ; Yoldia limatula, 1 ; Pecten ir- radians, 2. 120 THE NAUTILUS. Huntington Harbor ; shore : Littorinella minuta,1; Litorina nulls, abundant; Odostomia bi- suturalis, 46. Lloyd's Point, 5 fathoms, sand : Lunatia triseriata, 1 ; Tritia trivittata, 2 (young) ; Pandora tri- lineitii, 8 ; Mulinia lateralis, 4 ; Area transversa (young), Nucula proximo, 56; Yoldia limalula, 5. Portchester Harbor, shore : Area pexata, 1 ; Modiolus modiolus, 1 ; Orepidula convexa, 2 ; Littorinella minuta, 1 ; Odostomia bisuturalis, abundant ; Urosalpinx cinereit*, abundant. NOTES AND NEWS. TROCHOMORPHA FUSCATA Pease. This species was listed in Man. Conch. (2), IX, but, so far as I know, no description has ap- peared. It is allied to nigritella and contigua, but the umbilicus is smaller than either (one-eleventh to one-twelfth diam. of base) ; spire slightly-convex conic, the apex much more pointed than in contiyiiu; base flattened ns in contigua. Alt. 8-1, diam. 11] mm. Color uniform blackish-brown, or clear honey-yellow. It is from Pomipe, or Ascension Island, near the Caroline group. CALIFORNIA SLUGS. — Mr. Edw. M. Ehrhorn has lately sent me sonir slugs from California, which may as well be put on record. A box from Mountain View contained a number of Amalia gdi/utes (syn. hewstoni) and one Agriolimax eampestris, both, in my opinion, native species. A lot from San Jose, Sia. Clara Co., consisted wholly of introduced species, namely, Agriolimax ay rest is, heavily motiled forms, and Li max imurimus, young and old. The three adult L. maxima* in the box were all different, one being of the form iiiii,-mnr. 82. Sphcerium triinc/ttiint Linsley. R, F, S, B, F. 83. Sjihieriiiin rhomboideum Say. B, H. Mississippi River at St. Cloud. 84. SpJioerium solidulum Prime. M, F. 85. Sphcerium Jiiynnum Prime. Marshes near Cleanvater. 86. Sphcerium srrurlx Prime. H. 87. Pisidium virginwum Gmel. F. 88. Pixldhnit fiMltum Hald. F, H, B, T, C. Spring at Belle- vne, Iowa. 89. Pixidium Wilkeri Sterki. F, M. 90. Pisidium jiolltum Sterki. F, B. 91. J'ixidiinii I'lirinbile Prime. F, C, H. 92. Pistdlmn cniiijirexxttiii Prime. F, M, C. 93. Pisidium ferrugineum Prime. F, M, II. 94. PificJiinn rotundatum Prime. B. T. 95. Unio occidens Lea. ' M. 96. Unio mins Lam. C, M, F. Red River of the North, Fargo, N. D. 97. Unio luteolti* Lam. C. 98. Unio ligamentinus Lam. M. 99. Anodonta footiana Lea. The l'i*i