PYRAMIDELLIDZ. 409 
* Nequidquam : quoniam medio de fonte leporum 
Surgit amari aliquid quod in ipsis floribus angat.”’ 
In this case the “amari aliquid” arises from my fear of im- 
perilling old friendships, recollections and associations, which 
often afford the most delightful solaces, and soften down the 
rougher portions of our pilgrimage. I envy not the man who 
would not relax the sterner calls of duty to avoid disturbing 
these tranquilizing fountains of consolation. These reflec- 
tions press heavily on me. I will simply obey the calls of 
duty. I am bound to do so, and will use the plainest phrases, 
consistent with the integrity of truth and honour, to brmg me 
through the ordeal of my invidious task, which I would have 
gladly left to others. 
It must be admitted that this interestmg genus can no 
longer remain in its present unsatisfactory position ; a reform 
must be carried out; the progress of malacological science 
demands that the rotten species be rooted out, to preserve 
the honest constituencies ; the pruning-knife must be applied, 
to extirpate the gangrene that preys on the vitals of the 
genus :— 
** Ense recidendum ne pars sincera trahatur.”’ 
It is enveloped in a darker mist of error and misapprehension 
than any other, springmg partly from the difficulty of the 
subject, partly from defect of judgment and the unmeasured 
establishment of species on unsound bases. It may be asked, 
what will it avail to pluck a thorn from the mass— 
“* Quid te exempta juvat spinis de pluribus una?” 
We answer, that if a unit of error is blotted out, good service 
is done; Sancho Panza tells us, ““maille 4 maille fait Vhauber- 
geon.” Unless the proverb is acted on, all hope of reforma- 
tion is vain, and error will become indefinitely persistent. 
The following short remarks will prepare the way for the 
regular descriptions of the species. 
The Chemnitzia pallida is so fully mentioned that we need 
only refer to it. The same may be said of the Chem. rufa. 
The Chem. fulvocincta, that has hitherto been confounded with 
