106 BihlwgrapMcal Notices. 



widely distributed. That differences in tint are not necessarily 

 connected with distribution, we learn from the case of Epeira trl- 

 folium, which certainly has not a wide range as compared with I^. 

 venatoria. The colour variations of the former species are admirably 

 shown on pi. i. of vol. ii. of this work, and on pp. 331 and 332 of 

 the same volume we are told that variations in colour may be con- 

 nected with moulting, age, gestation, muscular action, and sex. 

 And conversely we are told that variation in environment is not 

 always accompanied by variation in colour ; for on p. 334 we read 

 thai/ "... certain species, as notably Air/iope coph'maria and ar;/;/- 

 rasjyis, have undergone a transcontinental distribution, covering wide 

 extremes of climate and conditions without experiencing any notable 

 change in general appearance." Consequently it does not appear 

 that the theory propounded with respect to the distribution of //. 

 vevatoria is established on a very secure basis. 



Dr. McCook candidly expresses his belief in death-feigning 

 (p. 444). This ])hrase, it appears, can only mean that a spider has 

 a knowledge of death, and attempts to simulate the appearance of a 

 dead brother sjudcr in the hopes of deceiving a man or a lizard into 

 the be)ief that there is no life in his carcase. This is attributing so 

 much intelligence to the little animal that one is temj)ted to ask, 

 How comes it that such a mind is not also aware that a dead body 

 in that state of preservation is quite as acceptable as a living one to 

 the collector's bottle or the lizard's palate ? The hypothesis that 

 the spider's sole thought, if we may use the word, is to " lie low," 

 or, in other words, to keep still and occupy as small a space as 

 possible, seems far simpler and meets all the facts of the case. 



The subjects, however, open to criticism that a work of this kind 

 presents are practically without end. Those that are here put 

 forward are some few that occurred to us the first time of reading 

 over. Many more no doubt remain. But on the whole the volumes 

 are decidedly good, showing much care and thought ; and we sin- 

 cerely hope that ere long Dr. McCook will give us in a similar form 

 the results of his researches into groups other than the Orbitelariae. 



E. I. P. 



CataJocj der ConcJiylien-Sammhing, von Fk. Paetel. 

 Parts II. and III., 1889-1890. 



A SHOET notice of the first part of this work appeared in these 

 ' Annals ' for 1888 (vol. ii. pp. 420-422). The second and third 

 parts, which complete the Catalogue, are now published. 



This work, which purports to give a complete list of all the known 

 families, genera, and species of shells, is the most extensive of the 

 kind yet issued. No doubt it will be largely used by collectors who 

 wish to ascertain the extent of their own collections, to mark off 

 desiderata, to find out habitats, names of authors, &c., and as a plan 

 to bo followed in the arrangement of their cabiiicts. 



As an assistance to scientific workers, however, it will be of less 



