26 THE NAUTILUS. 



port we deserve from American Conchologists. Scores of subscrip- 

 tions remain unpaid, and requests by letter to "square up" are 

 calmly ignored. 



We would ask our subscribers in all seriousness, Do you need 

 this paper? If so, why not support it. We depend upon the Con- 

 chologists of America to help and encourage us in making our 

 Nautilus a journal worthy of American Science. 



H. A. P. & C. W. J. 



BULIMULUS PROTEUS Broderip AND ITS DISTEIBUTION. 



BY W. H. DALL. 



Bulimi{s 2)roteus was described by Broderip from Peru in 1832. 

 It was referred by Deshayes to B. sordidus of Lesson, an opinion 

 not generally adopted, and which he afterward relinquished. In 

 1860, Mr. J. Xantus, collecting for the Smithsonian Institution at 

 Cape St. Lucas, obtained one adult and two young specimens of a 

 large Bulimulus, which were referred to Broderip's species by Bin- 

 ney ; an opinion which was justified b}' the close resemblance and 

 small amount of material for comparison. The singularity of dis- 

 tribution has been commented on by every one from Binney to 

 Crosse and Fischer in their magnificent work on the Mexican land 

 shells, and Dr. Cooper in recent papers on Lower Californiau land 

 shells. By a recent expedition of the California Academy of Scien- 

 ces to Lower California, nearly 100 specimens of the shell in ques- 

 tion were obtained, which I examined while in California in 1892, 

 and which are described by Dr. Cooper (Proc. Cal. Acad., 2d Ser. 

 Ill, p. 211, 1892), thus for the first time giving an opportunity for 

 careful comparison of our Californian species with that from Peru. 

 A series kindly sent by Dr. Cooper on behalf of the Academy, 

 together with the original specimens of Xantus and a series of four- 

 teen specimens of the Peruvian B. proteus, have been critically 

 compared, leaving no doubt, in spite of the close similarity, that the 

 Mexican shell is distinct and must receive a name, as the synonyms 

 are all strictly referable to the Peruvian form. 

 Bulimulus (Scutalus) montezuma Dall. 



B. (S.) proteus Binney, L. & F. W. Shells N. Am., 1, p. 207, 

 fig. 358, 1869; not of Broderip, P. Z. S., 1832, p. 107. 



Habitat, Lower California, mostly from the mountainous region 

 (3500 ft. alt.), Eisen, Belding and Xantus. 



