52 AMERICAN JOURNAL 



in which a large number of species are* reduced to the rank of 

 synonyms. 



No. 11. Nov., 1868. 



Remarks upon Mr. J. G-ivyn Jeffreys^ last Dredging Re- 

 2Jort. By R. MacAndrew. 



On the species of Ccecidce, Corbulidce, Volutidoi^ Cancella- 

 riidce, and PateUidw, found in Japan. By Arthur 

 Apams. 



Note on Br. Macdonald's paper on the Dentition of G-aste- 

 ropods. By Dr. J. E. Gray. 



" I think that Dr. Macdonald has committed an error that is 

 common to young naturalists — has mistaken an analogy for an 

 affinity. The form of the lateral teeth of the odontophore is, 

 no doubt, a good specific (?) (and may be generic) character, but 

 I think that Dr. Macdonald's table proves that it is not the 

 character of a family. The character of a family should be 

 derived from the consideration of the whole animal — its form, the 

 form and development of the teeth, and the form of the shell and 

 operculum ; and not from any one character, such as the form of 

 the lateral liugaal teeth, ebpecially if it brings together in one 

 family such a series of incongruous genera and separates nearly 

 allied genera as they are separated in Dr. Macdonald's list. 

 Therefore, I cannot agree with him that " the lingual dentition 

 appears to be the only appeal," or that the best means for 

 arranging the genera and families is according to the form of 

 the lateral teeth. I think if any one will consult Dr. Mac- 

 donald's plate, he must perceive that the lateral teeth gradually 

 pass from one form to the other ; and I cannot conceive any 

 reason why all the forms figured may not belong to the genera 

 of one family." 



Note on Po7nphoIy.v, Lea, a new family of Fluviatile 3Iol- 

 lusca. By Dr. J. E. Gray. 



This article appears to have been written very hastily — so 

 much so, in fact, as to make one incredulous as to whether the 

 writer really read understandingly the paper by Mr. Dall, pub- 

 lished in the California Proceedings, on which his note is founded. 

 In the first place i object to Dr. Gray's title ; he has not used 

 the family termination of idee. Secondly, Mr. Dall did not pro- 

 pose a new family but a sub-family name. I wonder that Dr. 

 Gray should make such mistakes, especially as he proceeds to 

 (juote Mr. Dall's name Pompholinfe, which has the proper sub- 

 family termination. " The existence of the second pair of eyes 



