8 THE NAUTILUS, 



Vertagus. The genus Natica as used by most writers is definitely- 

 divided into two genera, Natica, in which the operculum is shelly,, 

 and Polynices Montfort (1810), in which the operculum is thin, 

 flexible, corneous. The last group contains, of course, the familiar 

 duplicata and heros of our east coast, and the similar western spe- 

 cies. This is a division heartily to be commended, and it is surjoris- 

 ing that it has not been placed upon a firm basis long ago. 



A very large number of new species are described. The illus- 

 trations are excellent, having the merit of great clearness of detail. 

 The appearance of the volume is highly creditable to the Wagner 

 Institute, the officers of which have, with an enlightened apprecia- 

 tion of the importance of the work, spared no pains or expense in 

 its production. Especially are the thanks of both Palaeontologist 

 and Conchologist due to Messrs Joseph Willcox and Charles W. 

 Johnson, who collected much of the material, as well as to Dr.. 

 Dall who has so ably worked it up. 



CESARE MARIA TAPPARONE CANEFRI. 



On the 6th of August, 1891, Cesare Tapparone Canefri 

 expired after a long illness. Professor Cesare Tapparonk 

 Canefri was born at Alexandria on the 5th of February, 1838, 

 being descended from a noble Piedmontese family. His father was 

 for many years Mayor, and destined his son for an official career- 

 Tapparone, therefore, at the age of 20, entered the University of 

 Turin as a law student; but he had already become interested in 

 the natural sciences, especially botany. At Turin he formed a 

 friendship with LuiGi Bellardi and Vittore Ghiliani ; and in 

 the elevating atmosphere of that fellowship he developed the 

 enthusiasm and love for science which pervaded his whole after life. 



A few years after his graduation, Tapparone was employed in the 

 civil service of Spezzia ; and there he was attracted by the rich 

 shell fauna of the Gulf, which had already been studied by Jef- 

 freys and Capellini. Many species not known to these students 

 were found by the young enthusiast, who, in 1865, embodied the 

 results of his research in a " Catalogue of the Mollusca of Spezzia," 

 his first conchological paper. Henceforth, the greater part of his 

 time was given to the study of mollusks. He shortly became an 

 assistant to Professor Lessona, in the Chair of Zoology and Com- 



