ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 189 



in tlic Am. Jour, of Conch., Vol. VI, pp. 183-187. The marked difference in 

 the form and plan of sttuctnre of the shells of this family, with the exception 

 of A. ovum (which, in a general way, resembles Cyprsea) as well as the ana- 

 tomical differences indicated by Professor Gill, require that the forms included 

 in the catalogue referred to should be removed from a consecutive classifica- 

 tion. That they more nearly approach the form known as Pedicularia is 

 readily seen. As the shells of the latter are rare in collections, and are quite 

 important to the student in this connection, I would suggest an examination 

 of the red and purple corals of the Indo-Pacific waters, upon which, by care- 

 ful scrutiny, specimens may frequently be found, of the same color as the coral 

 to which they are attached. 



7. Volva avena, Soii^b., '-Santa Barbara- Panama," has never been confirmed 

 so far north as Santa Barbara. 



36. V. variabilis, C. B. Ad., " Cape St. Lucas," has a more northern limit, 

 having been collected at San Pedro, California, by Dr. Cooper, and Carpenter 

 credits it to Santa Barbara, (•' eTewett.") I am inclined to believe that V. 

 avena :=V. neglecta of 0. B. Ad., Mr. Sowerby's name having priority by 

 twenty years. 



10. V. Californica, Soicb., MSS., "California," has never been confirmed 

 from any point within the Oregonian and Caiifornian Province, and is undoubt- 

 edly an error. 



31. V. similis, Sotcb., for which no habitat is specified, should be credited to 

 the Gulf of California. 



All of the West American species are well represented in my collection, though, 

 with the exception of V. variabilis they may be justly considered as rare. 



Mr. Stearns gave a diagram of the animal, Trivia Californiana, 

 of which worn specimens are called T. depauperata, Sby. The 

 animal feeds on corals, and grows at Monterey; also at Bodega 

 Head, its northern limit. 



Professor Henry referred to the rapid strides which science was 

 making in England, and attributed it to the advantages there 

 given to those men who are pioneers in original discoveries. 



Dr. Blake exhibited, under a powerful microscope, specimens of 

 Diatoms from a hot spring in Nevada, the temperature of which 

 was 163 degrees. He said they were more numerous there than 

 in any other locality, six or eight hundred occurring in a bit of mud 

 the size of a pin's head. Most of them were identical with the fos- 

 sil species described by Ehrenberg, from near Salt Lake, but many 

 were new. He found about fifty-two species, of which thirty are the 

 same as EhrSnberg's, who mentioned about sixty-eight. He men- 

 tioned particularly the red algce living in the spring, and found in 

 salt beds in many parts of the world. 





