OP CONCHOLOGT. 83 



does not indicate the Anculosw so well as several otlier of 

 Rafinesque's genera. Either Amhloxis or Ellljistoma are 

 better descriptions of this group. The fact is, Prof. Haldeman 

 has adopted Leptoxis, published 1819, and unrecognizable, but 

 identified bj figures in the manuscript work lately belonging 

 to Prof. H., but presented by him to the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion. Such authority cannot be received, even for the pur- 

 pose of elucidating published descriptions, provided good 

 descriptions of the same object have since been published by 

 other authors.* 



The genus Strepoma, Eaf., applied by Prof. Haldeman to 

 the American Melanians, exists only in manuscript. 



Cijclemis (p. 26) is perhaps equivalent to Somaiogyrus, Gill, 

 and Omphemis (p. 26) to Pomatiopsis, Tryon. 



Lomastoma (p. 26) and Eutrema (p. 27) we cannot identify. 



Mr. Prime has studied the Cyclades described by Rafinesque, 

 with partial success. 



With regard to the Unionidse the difficulties surrounding 

 the task of identifj^ing his descriptions, are almost insur- 

 mountable, although they are not bad for the period ; indeed, 

 taking together, as he directs us, the generic and specific 

 descriptions, a very fair idea of the general appearance of 

 the species may be formed. The difiiculty lies in the vast 

 multitude of species which have been discovered since Rafi- 

 nesque's time, naturally rending his descriptions those of 

 groups rather than of species. In the following resume 

 of identifications by American naturalists, the species, when, 

 supposed to possess priority, are printed in small caps ; other- 

 wise, in italics. 



* We would eveu reject names accompaaied by those short unmeaning 

 Latin diagnoses, without giving distinctive characters or size of specimen, 

 wliich authors are in tlie habit of publisliing in the Proceedings of various 

 Societies, if the same species is subsequently figured or fully described 

 by other naturalists. The abuse which has arisen from the claims of prior- 

 ity based on these unrecognizable descriptions is certainiy beyond endu- 

 rance, and no author ouglit to be permitted to impose upon the scientific 

 world a species characterized by half a dozen lines of conventional, mongrel 

 Latin, that would apply to several related species equally well as to the one 

 described. A positively recognizable description, or details of differences, 

 or a figure of the species should be rigidly required. 



We recently had occasion to study a group, the species of which 

 possess great similarity in all their character and are considered peculiarly 

 difiicult to determine. In looking for recent descriptions we found a num- 

 ber of Latin diagnoses, almost any one of which would suit any species we 

 had before us ; now is it reasonable that if we publish our new species in a 

 satisfactory manner, that the author of these "diagnoses" shall say — "your 

 species are synonyms, this is my so and so, published so many months 

 or years in advance of you. " How do we know that it is his so and so f Are 

 we to take his word for it? Then we might as well dispense with his pub- 

 lisheitl description altogether, save him the trouble of stringing together a 

 dozem or so of the few hundred words which comprise Oonchology Latin, 

 and above all, save ourselves the labor vainly expended in striving to com- 

 prehend it ! 



