72 TIIE NAUTILUS. 



A NEW ASHMUNELLA FROM NEW MEXICO. By Paul Bartsch 

 (Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 47, 1904, p. 13, 14). A. townsendi, 

 described from two specimens collected by Mr. C. H. S. Townsend 

 on the slopes of the ridge on the south fork of Ruidoso river, about 

 five miles above the town of Ruidoso, at an altitude of 8,500 ft. 

 This is in the Sierra Blanca, Mescalero Indian Reservation, Lincoln 

 Co., New Mexico. " A sh mun ella townsendi is most nearly related 

 to A. rhyssa Dall, but fs much smaller than that form and is uni- 

 formly more strongly sculptured." It measures, alt. 8.2, diam. 15, 

 width of umbilicus 2.3 mm., being thus larger than A. altissima 

 Ckll. from the summit of Sierra Blanca. From an intermediate 

 altitude, A. townsendi seems to be also intermediate in characters 

 between rhyssa and altissima. The use of the term " axial " to de- 

 scribe obliquely radial sculpture seems rather forced. The direction 

 of such sculpture approaches " axial " only at the periphery, and it 

 is presumed that by " axial " is meant " in line with or in the direc- 

 tion of the axis " as the Century Dictionary expresses it. 



SHELLS OF LAND AND WATER : a familiar introduction to the 

 study of Molluscs. By Frank Collins Baker (Chicago, A. W. 

 Mumford, large 8vo). As its title indicates, this book is for the use 

 of those beginning the study of shells, and is especially designed to 

 be placed in the hands of young people interested in nature study, 

 but without much or any previous acquaintance with rnollusks. 

 The chapters on The Home of the Clam, Pond Snails, Snails of the 

 Forest and Field, The Oyster and its Relatives, The Cowries, etc., 

 afford an attractive insight into the mysteries of these creatures, and 

 will be a revelation to many intelligent people to whom shells have 

 had no meaning. Eight full-page colored plates are very good ex- 

 amples of the new "three-color process," and illustrate many of our 

 native species besides numerous exotic shells. These figures will 

 help many a learner to some knowledge of common " mantlepiece " 

 shells. The text is also fullv illustrated with wood-cuts and half- 



if 



tone engravings, and a good deal of attention is given to the obser- 

 vation and collecting of mollusks. The work is written in the some- 

 what old-fashioned form of a series of discourses or monologues by a 

 professor to several pupils. It is well gotten up typographically. 

 H. A. P. 



