THE NAUTILUS. 31 



This and the other paper l mentioned in the foot-note, which con- 

 tained a few pages on the circumboreal distribution of molluscan 

 species, were omitted from the bibliography of Dr. Ball's volume. 



A FEW NOTES ON SAY'S EABLY WRITINGS AND SPECIES. 



BY V. STERKI. 



Again and again, these last years, I have looked over a copy of 

 T. Say's " Conchology " in the "British Encyclopedia" (Nichol- 

 son's), 2 and found a few things which caught my attention particu- 

 larly and appear worth mentioning and discussing if compared with 

 our present interpretation. It is unnecessary to say that the re- 

 marks are not written for the sake of criticizing the father of con- 

 chology in this country. His difficulties were doubtless great with 

 respect to both working up his material and having the articles 

 printed according to his intentions. 



Of the introduction and general description, I would refer only to 

 one point or two. Say justly protests against the view then prev- 

 alent, that the beaks of a bivalve mark the under side, stating that 

 in the natural position of the mussel they are above. At the same 

 time, what we now regard as anterior and posterior parts, he desig- 

 nates as the right and left sides, evidently from lack of knowledge 

 of the organization of the soft parts. Hence also the terms: '' aequi- 

 lateral and inequilateral," for which we now must say " equipartite 

 and inequipartite." He calls the distance from the beaks to the 

 opposite or " posterior " margin as length, the one at right angles to 

 it as breadth, as some noted conchologists have done up to recent 

 years. It is interesting to note, however, that soon he approached 

 a more correct conception, even in the same article: in descriptions, 

 e. <jr.,of Unio ovatus and ochraceus, and Anodonta marginata, he 

 speaks of a front and a posterior end, only mistakes them for each 

 other, a view which also has been held tenaciously for a long time 

 by many conchologists. In this way apparent contradictions are 



1 On the History and Distribution of the Fresh- water Mussels, etc. Proc. 

 Cal. Acad. Sciences, Nov. 20, 1882. 



* Probably of 1818 or 1819; there is no date, and nothing referring to the 

 time of publication, except that the author mentions his "detached essays in 

 the Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc.," and to the "former editions of this work." 



