274 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [18=5. 



Florida, Hcmpbill; Jamaica, ^Ycst Indies, Adams; Saint Thomas and 

 Porto Eico, West Indies, Shuttleworth. 



In concluding this notice of the LimnopMla of Florida I would take 

 this opportunity of statin,:;- that the Limna'a Palmcriy described by me 

 from tbe nioutli of the Yaqui Iiiver, Gulf of California (Am. Journ. 

 Couch,, vii, part 2, p. 135, 1871), proves to be a Recluzia, and should be 

 called R. Palmeri. 



AURICULACBA. 



In attempting to identify and name the Aitriculacea of the collection 

 from Florida I was brought to a standstill by the condition of the no- 

 menclature which has been far from correctly used for the American 

 species. It was therefore necessary to attempt a revision of it, which 

 it is to be hoped may pave the way for a definite and final arrangement. 

 It is to be regretted that some of our naturalists have published, and 

 continued to use, names which in the same work they stated to be in- 

 applicable to the animals under consideration. 



The suborder Basonimafophora is divisable into four natural groups, 

 characterized by the mode of life: Limnopliila^ including Chilinidce 

 Physldw, Limnaeidd', and Ancylidw, {Latia being doubtful as yet) ; AJc- 

 teopJiila, including AuricuUdw and Otinidce ; Petrophila, with ISiplion- 

 ariidw and Gadiniida' ; and Thalassojyhilarwith Amj^iiboUdce. Thev^alue 

 of these groups will be differently estimated, but I cannot see my way 

 clear to giving them, or any of them, tlie subordiual value assigned to 

 part of them (under other names) by my friend Dr. Paul Fischer in his 

 admirable manual now iniblishing. Most of these names have been 

 used in diverse senses by various authors, but in regard to these de- 

 nominations applied to larger groups, which vary with the opinions of 

 authors, it seems to me impracticable to enforce the law of iiriority ex- 

 cept for groups wholly identical. As for families it would seem best 

 always to name them after their most characteristic genus. 



The Akteopliila of the United States comprise the following species 

 as far as yet known : 



Fatnily AuRicuLiDiE. 



Shell spiral, with reversed nucleus, with a twisted or plaited colum- 

 ella ; usually with parietal or labial teeth or lira? ; texture, calcareous 

 or horny; inoperculated, furnished with an epidermis. Tentacles con- 

 tractile; eyes sessile at their inner bases ; oviparous, phytophagous; 

 dermis rugose ; living in moist earth {Carychinm, Pytliia) or near the 

 margin of rivers and the sea ; never in water, though often where they 

 are daily moistened by the tide. Dentition in little curved, numerous 



transverse series — rhachidian, ; laterals, —^: unciui, ^ 



'1—3' ' 1—3' ' 1—3 



