34 CURRENT LITERATURE. 



CURRENT LITERATURE. 



REVIEWS. 



Manual of Conchology by George W. Tryon, Jr. Continuation by 

 H. A. Pilsbry, 1st Ser. vol. xiii, pt. 52, 2nd Ser. vol. vii, pt. 28. 

 Philadelphia : Academy of Natural Sciences. 



Part 52 of Series I, completes volume xiii. and concludes the Patellidu-. 

 A revised classification of this family is put forward, which agrees generally with 

 that of Dr. Thiele in his " Das Gebiss der Schnecketi.'" It is as follows : — 



Subfamily Patellinie. Lateral teeth three on each side, two of them anterior. 



1. Genus Patella. Branchial cordon complete ; apex near centre. 



2. Genus Helcion. Branchial cordon interrupted ; apex anterior. 

 Subfamily Nacellinic. Lateral teeth two on each side; one of them anterior. 



1. Genus Nacella. Epipodial ridge on sides of foot ; branchial cordon 



complete. 



2. Genus Helcioniscus. Sides of foot smooth ; branchial cordon 



interrupted in front. 



In Series II, pt. 28 completes volume vii. and continues the Genus Cochlostyla, 

 treating of the following sections, Ptychostylus, Helicolndimis, and Orthostyhis. 

 There is an index to the sub-genera and sections contained in vol. vii., and an 

 explanation of the plates. An index to the species of Helix is promised in the 

 next volume, which subscribers will welcome. — E. R.S. 



List of British Land and Freshwater Mollusca. Leeds: The Concho- 

 logical Society, 1892. 



Some 18 months ago the Conchological Society of Leeds decided to issue a new 

 list of the British Land and Freshwater Mollusca, and the same now lies before 

 us. We pointed out at the time that a strong committee of well-known and 

 competent conchologists would alone ensure an authoritative list ; the Society, 

 however, thought otherwise, and the undertaking was entrusted to three well- 

 known collectors, whose incompetency for such a task is at once evident in the 

 errors of classification. Possibly shell collectors think lightly of such matters, 

 so we pass on to the question of nomenclature. An insufficient acquaintance 

 with anything beyond books and shells is at once evident, while the question of 

 priority is treated in a most mischievous and childish manner. 



We will content ourselves with here pointing out a few of the more flagrant 

 errors and inaccuracies amongst the Slugs on p. 3. A. empiricorum, Fer. , is 

 styled A. ater, L , A. intermedhis, Normand, as A. minimus, Simroth, Limax 

 variegatus, Drap., as L.Jlavus, L. In the nine pages of notes we are informed 

 that the Society "are convinced that the more distinct and striking forms of 

 every species should be definitely distinguished, we cannot assent to the publication 

 of distinct names for the slighter modifications. " With this we agree, but the list is 

 an absolute denial of any such treatment. The most casual reader will be at once 

 struck by the undue prominence that has been given to the minor varieties of 

 Messrs. Taylor and Roebuck, while many well marked varieties of particular 

 authors are most carefully excluded. 



The most important omissions in the Slugs are A. ambiguus, Poll., and 

 A. celticus, Poll. L. cinereo-niger, Wolf, is retained as a species. Surely the 

 authors cannot have seen Simroth's observations on the anatomy, who has proved 

 it to be but a var. of L. maximus ! Under A. ater the var. bncnnea is still 

 retained, which is of course, nothing more than a form of v. rnfa, L., the var. 

 plumbea is a minor form of v. nigrescens, Moq. , which latter is omitted to make 

 room for this less important one ! The three most important vars. of A. subfuscus 

 are also omitted, together with a number of those of A. hortensis and 

 A. circumscriptus. We do not wish to deal harshly with Mr. Roebuck's 

 varieties, but after the above clause re minor varieties, we really fail to see 

 how or why v. lilacina of L. maximus has been included. 



