108 THE NAUTILUS. 



Deadman Island Pliocene being now found living only to the north, 

 many of them not south of the Puget Sound district. During the 

 Pleistocene, warmer climate ensued, the upper San Pedro beds indi- 

 cating more tropical conditions than those now prevalent. The 

 marine Pleistocene has been found to be enormously developed on 

 the West Coast. 



Part II, the descriptions of species, occupies the greater portion 

 of the volume. Nearly all of the species are fully described, and 

 illustrated by good pen-drawings. Since most of the forms are still 

 living, the full descriptions and illustrations will render the work of 

 great use to students of the recent shells of the West Coast ; and it 

 should have a wide circulation among West Coast conchologists. 

 Many new forms are described, a large proportion of which will 

 doubtless be found to be also recent. The nomenclature is fairly 

 brought up to date, but there are some exceptions which one might 

 reasonably expect to see corrected, such as the retention of Trophon 

 belclieri in " Chorus," the use of " Runella " for Gyrineum, of 

 " Hipponyx " for Amolthea, and of " Phorcits " for Cltlorostoma 

 puUigo. Neither of the species bimaculata and caUomarginata be- 

 longs to Ciypidella, as was shown over ten years, ago. The Chitons 

 seem to have gone astray as to family classification. The two species 

 of Planorbis described and figured are incorrectly named. In the 

 Scap/iopoda, Mr. Arnold admits Dentaliinn hexagonum Sby. and 

 D. preudohexagomun Dall, placing D.neohexagonum S. & P. in the 

 synonymy of both. The fact is that " hexagonum is an oriental 

 species not found in California, and pseudohexagonum is a MSS. 

 name, not before published. The common California!! species is 

 rightly known as D. neohexagonum. Similarly, Cadulus fasiformis 

 S. & P., a species published and figured some years ago, is placed in 

 the synonymy of the hitherto undefined MSS. name " (7. ni/entior 

 Cpr." The figure and description given fix the name nitentior on 

 what seems to be the tube of a serpulid annelid. Notwithstanding 

 these and various other oversights, the nomenclature is in the great, 

 majority of species abreast of the times. Among many interesting 

 facts brought out, is the absence of Haliotis before the Pleistocene 

 in Californian strata. The plates illustrate not only the fossils, but 

 also characteristic views of the principal terranes. 



Part III, bibliography, gives a useful list of works dealing with 

 West Coast mollusks, including a complete bibliography of the 

 writings of Dr. R. E. C. Stearns. H. A. P. 



