Miscellaneous, 157 



THE GENUS BROCCHIA OF BR0NN. 



In the Philosophical Transactions for 1833, p. 78, I stated that I 

 believed that this genus had been established on specimens of Capuli 

 that had been affixed to radiated shells. M. Philippi, in his excellent 

 work on Sicilian Shells, observes, " Non in testa plicata differentiam 

 genericam qusesivit cl. Bronn, sed in sinu laterali, et Brocchia eodem 

 charactere a Capulis quo Siphonaria a Patellis differt," p. 119. On 

 re-examination of the species I find nothing to distinguish it from 

 Capulus but the lateral notch, which varies greatly in size in the dif- 

 ferent specimens, and appears to be formed by attachment to some 

 extraneous body. M. Philippi however copies Professor Bronn's 

 character without discovering that it contains two very obvious in- 

 accuracies, which, if they were true, would at once separate the ge- 

 nus from Capulus and all the other known Molluscous genera : for 

 he says, " Impressio muscularis elongata arcuata transversa intus 

 ad limbum anticum." Now I know no univalve shell that has the 

 muscular scar on the front of the mouth ! The fact is, that the Pro- 

 fessor has mistaken the front of the shell for the back, and this has 

 led to the other mistake ; for he describes the mouth thus, " apertura 

 subrotunda, margo sinister sinu amplo ecccisus," whereas the nick is 

 not on the left but always on the right side of the shell when present. 

 I may further observe, that the right limb of the muscular impression 

 behind the neck is much shorter than the left ; or rather, the apex of 

 the shell, which in Pileopsis hungaricus is nearly in the centre of 

 the back of the shell, is in P. sinuosa on the right side of the back. 

 The shell is dextral, though it has at first sight the appearance of be- 

 ing sinistral. — J. E. Gray. 



" THE SEXES OF LIMPETS. 



In the last Number (p. 70.) Dr. Wagner refers to the fact of the 

 Patella being unisexual as a discovery of his own. It will be found 

 stated with more detail in the first volume of the Annals, p. 482. — 

 J. E. Gray. 



THE EXHIBITION OF FISHES IN MUSEUMS. 



In the Royal Museum of Vienna, where they have the best-pre- 

 served and exhibited collection of fishes that I have ever seen in any 

 public Museum, the specimens are kept in shallow cases about six 

 or eight inches deep, and are suspended by a wire loop which is in- 

 serted into the back of the specimens just before the front of the 

 dorsal fin. If the specimen is long and heavier behind, so that it will 

 not keep its position, there is driven in a small pin just beneath the 

 lower side of the base of the tail to support it. In this manner the 

 fishes appear in the attitude of swimming, and their names are easily 

 attached to the back of the case beneath them ; they are also easily 

 taken off the pin to which the loop is suspended, if necessary for 

 examination. — J. E. Gray. 



