Bibliographical Notices, 161 



fourth mandibular looth ; but the dentition as a whole is suggestive 

 of the alligator tj-pe. 



The only fossil lizard from the Siwalik hills is the Vamnus 

 nivalensis of Falconer, and the only serpent Python molurus (Linn.), 

 known from vertebrae collected by Mr. Theobald in the Punjab. 

 This part of the work concludes with a list of memoirs relating 

 to the reptile types described. 



The eighth part is a description of the Siwalik fishes. A majo- 

 rity of the remains which have been determined belong to the 

 families Opbiocephalidie and Siluridoe, which at the present day are 

 important elements in the Indian fish-fauna. Eut some of the fossil 

 Siluroid fishes have marked affinity with African t3pes. The sharks 

 of the Punjab and Pegu are referred to CarcJiarias mid Carcliarodon. 

 The only ray described is the Myliobatis citrvipalatus, a new species 

 from the Eocene of Katch. 



Descriptions follow of Capitodus indmis, a species of Ophioceplia- 

 lus, a new species of Clarias (C. Falconeri), a new species of Hetero- 

 branchus {H. palceindicus), Chrysiclitlvjs Theobaldi, Macroncs aor, 

 Rita grandisGutata, two species of Anus, and BagariusYarrelJi. Ano- 

 ther fish is provisionally referred to the Cyprinodontida?, and Diodon 

 Folii is a new species from the Eocene of Ramri Island. The part 

 concludes with a preface to the work, which states that the Siwalik 

 and Narbada Vertebrata are now described. There is a table of con- 

 tents and index to the volume, and introductory observations in which 

 additional notes are given upon a number of the types described, 

 while a new species. Mastodon Cautleiji, is illustrated with several 

 woodcuts. The author may be congratulated on the completion of 

 his labours and on the excellent illustrations which the later work 

 contains. It is a great advantage to all students to be able to con- 

 sult these figures ; and the author's descriptions dii-eet attention to 

 the more striking characters of the fossils. Probably succeeding 

 writers may take different views concerning the nomenclature and 

 even the affinities of some of the fossils, but will acknowledge their 

 obligation to Mr. Lydekker for bringing the Vertebrata of the 

 Siwalik rocks and the problems they suggest once more under the 

 notice of naturalists, in a complete history. 



Les Glandes du Pied et les Pores Aquiferes cJiez les Lainellibranches. 



Par le Dr. Tkeodoke Baeeois. 4to. Lille, 1885. 

 CoNSiDEEiNG the nature of the byssus of the Mollusca it may perhaps 

 seem rather curious that any doubt should ever have existed as to 

 its origin and significance. It has no doubt been generally regarded 

 as the secretion of peculiar glands, but naturalists of eminence have 

 chosen to give it a very different interpretation, namely that it con- 

 sists of a bundle of dried or chitinized muscular fibres. This idea 

 seems to have originated with De Blainville in 1825, and was more 

 or less distinctly supported by J. Miiller and Wagner, and at a later 

 date by Leydig, who declared, in 185G, that " what is called the 

 byssus consists of chitinized muscular fibres." The last effort in 

 this direction was made by Nathusius Konigsborn in 1877, so that 

 the notion has persisted to a tolerably recent date. 



An7i. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 5. Vol. xviii. 11 



