10 THE NAUTILUS. 



on the back, shake hands, adjourn, go home, and sleep more soundly 

 then ever before ; but, unfortunately, the ghosts of Dr. Lea, Mr. 

 Conrad, Mr. Say, and others might aj^pear upon the scene, and 

 Mr. Ego might appear in the flesh, armed with carpet-bag, micro- 

 scope, and manuscript ; in which case the big show would not last 

 half long enough to enable the quarrelsome scientists to finish throw- 

 ing mussel shells at one another. 



Seriously, however, this " muddle " ought to be unmuddled ; but 

 how is it to be done ? Who is there upon whom all concerned will 

 be willing to rest the responsibility of deciding contested points ? 

 Can three or five men be found upon whose judgment all will con- 

 sent to rest? If so, who shall they be? 



By the time the " Unio Muddle " shall have been fairly settled 

 the indications are that there will be three or four other first class 

 muddles ripe. Would it not be well for the American Association 

 of Conchologists to do in regard to American mollusks as the Amer- 

 ican Ornithological Union has done in regard to the American 

 Birds, and settle not only the " Unio Muddle," but all contested 

 points in American Conchology? 



Why is it that the reputation of a conchologist should rest upon 

 the naming of new species rather than upon a knowledge of Con- 

 chology? and, honestly, may not the making of new species some- 

 times be attributed more to conceited self-assertion than to a desire 

 to help the science? Suppose we have a committee of the American 

 Association whose duty it shall be to decide upon the merits of 

 so-called new species, and that a name be regarded as only provi- 

 sional until it be accepted or rejected by such committee. So mote 

 it be. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF NASSA FROM THE GULF OF 



CALIFORNIA. 



BY ROBT. E. C. STEARNS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Shell small, elongated, ovate, of seven to eight whorls, with an 

 acutely elevated spire, ornamented with generally three sj^iral ser- 

 ies of granules ; occasionally four series are exhibited on the penul- 

 timate whorl, and six to seven on the basal. These granules also 

 correspond to a longitudinal arrangement. In some examples the 

 sutural series is a little more prominent and followed by a slight 



