AMERICAN JOURNAL 



NOTES UPON THE MONOGRAPH OP THE GENtJS MARGI- 

 NELLA IN REEVE'S CONCHOLOGIA ICONICA. 



BY JOHN H. REDFIELD. 



We can hardly over-estimate the aid which Mr. Reeve has 

 afforded to Conchological students in the immense store-house 

 of illustrations contained in his series of monographs. In re- 

 gard to the older and better known species of shells, the work 

 has been of great service by bringing within reach of students 

 good figures which would otherwise have to be sought through a 

 host of works, many of which are rare and not readily accessi- 

 ble. And as to more recent and less known species, Mr. Reeve's 

 access to the magnificent collection of Mr. Cuming has enabled 

 him to introduce to science novelties almost without limit. But 

 it cannot be denied that the very plan of the work, well conceived 

 as it was, and carried out with a wonderful perseverance and 

 regularity — by its inexorable demand of a certain number of 

 figures and descriptions per month, necessarily led to undue 

 haste, and prevented the careful investigation that was ofttimes 

 required. So also the style of lithography adopted, while ad- 

 mirable for large species, failed entirely to do justice to small spe- 

 cies, especially where their distinctive characters were minute or 

 intangible. The frequent errors of statement in regard to habitat 

 are perhaps the most mischievous fault that can be brought 

 against the work, for on them are liable to be based erroneous 

 conclusions in regard to the important questions of geographi- 

 cal distribution, and of permanence in species. Doubtless many 

 of these errors are due, as Mr. Gray has recently observed,^ to 

 the wrong or misplaced labels in Mr. Cuming's cabinet. Mr. 

 Reeve and Mr. Cuming have (alas !) passed away, both de- 

 ceased in the same year in which the monograph of Marginclla 

 was completed. No lover of shells can have other than respect 

 for their memory, and gratitude for their labors, and I am sure 



* See this Journal, vol. 4, pages 201-203. 



