292 Bibliographical Notices. 



We may mention, as examples of this carelessness, all the Zonitce, 

 but especially crystallinus, Helix pulchella, rupestris, pygmcea, ro- 

 tundata, he. 



It is with much regret that we notice the numerous changes in 

 nomenclature which Mr. Reeve seeks to introduce, changes in almost 

 every instance uncalled for, in many cases actually wrong. Obsolete 

 names, originally appended to descriptions of Mollusca so loosely 

 and inaccurately defined as to apply with equal truth to many species, 

 are here dragged forward from their merited oblivion, and made to 

 supersede names which have been familiar to European conchologists 

 for the last half-century. It is impossible to criticise all the changes 

 thus made ; but let us examine those that are introduced into a single 

 genus : let it be Planorbis. 



Planorbis imbricatus is changed to Planorbis crista, on the 

 authority of the following synonymy : — 



Nautilus crista, Linnseus (1758), Syst. Nat. 10th edit. p. 709. 

 Turbo nautileus, Linnseus (1767), Syst. Nat. 12th edit. p. 1241. 



And the author remarks — " It may be observed on reference to the 

 synonymy, that Linnseus made two species of this." But Linnseus 

 did not make two species out of Planorbis nautileus. The facts are 

 that he described Nautilus crista in the tenth edition of the 'Systema 

 Naturae ; ' and in the twelfth edition changed the name of the species 

 to Turbo nautileus, and referred to his Nautilus crista of the tenth 

 edition as a synonym. We can only account for Mr. Reeve's mistake 

 by supposing that he has never consulted the twelfth edition — a sup- 

 position which is confirmed by the fact that throughout his volume 

 the tenth edition is almost invariably referred to. It is the twelfth, 

 however, which embodies the most matured views of the great natu- 

 ralist, and has therefore always been justly held to be the standard 

 edition of his works ; and it is for this reason that the name nautileus 

 has universally been adopted. Few of Linnseus' s species are identi- 

 fied moreover with the same degree of certainty as this little shell ; 

 for specimens are still to be seen in the Linnsean cabinet enclosed in 

 a small paper envelope on which the name is written at full length. 

 Planorbis marginatus (Drap.) is changed to P. complanatus (L.). 

 Yet no one, from Linnseus's time to our own, has been able to say to 

 what species the brief description of Helix complanata was intended 

 to apply. Midler, in his description of Planorbis umbilicatus (P. 

 marginatus, Drap.), wrote in 1 773 (only six years after the publi- 

 cation of 'Syst. Nat.' 12th edit.), "Satis diu hsesito an hie Pla- 

 norbis Linnsei, an complanatus auctorum dicatur, et descriptiones 

 medubium adhuc relinquunt ; quid quod, hunc etPlanorbem confu- 

 disse videntur, et sequens forte erit eorum complanatus. In tantis 

 difficultatibus has tricas solvendi, ipso Lhmseo litteris frustra consulto. 

 Planorbem et complanatam, nomina generi toti propria, oblivioni 

 dandos, descriptiones et nomina aptiora magisque significantia efrin- 

 genda reor." And again, in the description of Planorbis nitidus, 

 the same author observes, "An H. complanata Linnsei, haud liquet." 

 Mr. Hanley, in his ' Ipsa Linnsei Conchy lia,' expresses his belief 



