90 Cincinnati Society of Natunxl History. 



In him the Government certainly has an energetic, critical 

 and thoroughly-informed specialist, whose only object is to 

 reach facts. Acting upon Dr. Merriam's suggestion, we have 

 succeeded in capturing the list of mammals which will be 

 enumerated further along, and have made the accompanying 

 notes as to their habits, etc. To the ornithology of the 

 country about us we have given considerable study, and 

 such notes as we have made will be contributed if any future 

 paper is written. I now propose to take up these subjects, 

 seriatim, and will begin with the land mollusks, for the reason 

 that I have .studied them more closely than any other of our 

 varied fauna. 



And here it seems to me to be eminently fitting that some- 

 thing should be written in relation to the present mania for 

 .species-making. All careful students of our North American 

 shells know, whether the series examined be land, fresh water 

 or marine, that we have an infinite number of varietal forms, 

 connecting links, as it were, serving to show the processes and 

 progress of variation. In the case of the Unionidte, there 

 are certain forms, which may be taken as the types of .series, 

 so united by the closest relationship of external characters, 

 that in many instances half a score or more of described 

 "species" must fall into synonomy. These are not isolated 

 cases, but they are the rule. Should these forms be treated 

 as a philosophical handling of the subject demands, the so- 

 called "species" would be reduced more than one-half! 

 This is a fact, about which there is no question in the mind of 

 any student of these shells, who seeks truth, and not the mere 

 adding of species to his collection. There is no need of any 

 more species in cabinets than exist in nature. A shell labeled 

 with a specific name, under a definition that cuts off both 

 ends of its relationship, is nothing but an isolation. A 

 shell so labeled and arranged as to exhibit its relationship to 

 the other forms with which it is grouped, is a very difl"erent 

 thing; it is a land-mark, a part of a system, a guide, a revela- 

 tion. Why, then, should the profound uses of such forms be 

 wrapped up in the mantle of specific designation, on the vain 

 supposition that publishing and describing these forms under 

 titles of limitation will add anything to science or to the 

 reputation of the writer? The thing most nece.ssary now in 



