to the enlightened zeal and scientific accuracy of the native-born band 
of naturalists, whose united labors have been concentrated in the pro- 
duction of so brilliant a result. There is probably no. country in the 
world where the familiar knowledge of nature promises with more cer- 
tainty to become the privilege and enjoyment of the people than in 
our own, where alone researches of a truly scientific character, are 
conducted under the eye and with the approbation and support of | te 
people themselves. 
_ Those who would have a full view of this class of labors, as astenity 
performed in the United States, will find it in Prof. Hitchcock’s address 
before the associated geologists at Philadelphia, and published in the 
former part of this number. 
Dr. Gould in the report under notice, has selected the mollusca as 
the printinah! field of his labors, both because it is the most extensive 
asia of Massachusetts, embraces ole spel Ta 
cies enumerated ii in the list appended to Prof. eeponerninget ‘report, 
and which was the result of the united Ranteiietion ae several con- 
chologists. ae 
_ Full descriptions are given in the valent sapoly aa iol 
seventy four species. They are divided into families and ‘groups,.ac- 
cording to the recent views and classifications of the most 
malacologists, and each class is introduced. by appropriate saaiietda 
remarks. 
The two hundred and seventy four species enumerated, are divided 
as follows among the various classes :—Annelida, six; Cirripedes, 
twelve; Conchifera, ninety seven; Brachiopoda, two; Gasteropoda, 
one hundred and fifty seven. Of these, twenty nine species are ter- 
restrial, forty two are inhabitants of the fresh waters, and two hundred 
and three are marine, beside which there are in addition, seven marine 
and two terrestrial naked molluscs, or slugs, as they are vulgarly called, 
The value of this work is much enhanced by the accurate although 
uncolored figures which Dr. G. has drawn, evidently with much labor, 
of two hundred and thirteen of the species described. Every one who 
has experienced the difficulty of determining shells from - unillustrated 
ions, will. fully appreciate the value of accurate 
= Blut. there is one point to which Dr. Gould has siete much atten- 
tion, and which has claims of interest to all naturalists, especially to 
geologists, namely, the geographical extent and distribution of the 
