22 CURRENT LITERATURE. 



Simroth, H — Die Xacktschncckeiifauna des Russischcii I'ciclics. 4to. 

 pp. 321, 27 Tafn., 10 Kartell u. 17 textfign. St. Petersburg : 

 1901 [1902]. Der K. Akad. d. Wissenscli. 



Of the many inagiiificeiit works wliich have emanated from tlie pen of 

 the illustrious Leipzig professor, none have exceeded in interest, or svu"- 

 passedin the ■wealth and beauty of illustration, the invaluable memoir licfore 

 us. No review, limited in space, as here, can do justice to such a work, and 

 we are jierforce compelled only to give a very brief resume of the contents. 



Commencing with an introduction, ])r. Sinu'oth defines the limits of 

 the region treated of, and the \ arious divisions of the same ; discusses the 

 supposed centres of origin and the lines of distribution, and concludes ^ith ii 

 definition of the term " slug." 



Passing to the special part of the work, it opens with a detailed account 

 of the anatomy of Anadenus giganteus and a consideration of its relationship 

 with other genera. Scattered throughout the accounts of the new genera 

 and species, the author discusses, and adds many original observations and 

 facts to, .such subjects as the division of general and species in part l)y means 

 of colour, the relations of Ileynettt'tniiid and ].chm(fnnia,i\ni origin of the 

 genus Lima.r, the colour bands of slugs, distribution of Paralimax, classifica- 

 tion of Agrioliviax, the genus Pannacella, the Agnatlious slugs, conditions 

 of life of the Agnatlious slugs, self-fertilisation, and a host of points concern- 

 ing the generative organs, frcc-mu.scles, digestion, affinities, distribution, 

 »tc. The work is a mine of information, rich and exhaustive in detail and 

 in\aluable to every student of malacology. 



The new genera, species, etc., described are as follows : — Ariuii subfus- 

 cus, Urp. v. fennicus, A. sibiricus, Limax ananoivi, Simr. v. imereticus, L. 

 ordubadensis (= colchicus, Simr.), Metalimax elegans, Monochroma bruit 

 neum, Paralrmax brandti, v. Mts. forms coriaceus, nubilus, notatus, lilacinus 

 P. marmoratus, P. niger, and form nigerrimus, P. cdbomaculatus, P. scda- 

 mandroides, P. gyratus, P. gracilis, P. ochraceus, P. albocarinatus, P. 

 raddei, and forms striatus pictus, elegans, variegatus, obscurus ; P. minutus, 

 Agriolimax laevis, Miill. v. perversus, A. agrestis, L. v. turkestanus, A. 

 tauricus, A. transcaucasicus and xar^. simplex and coeciger, A. caspius, A. 

 subagrestis, Simr. v. minutus, A. ilius, A. ananowi, A. osseticus. Tropid 

 objtopelte is a new^ subgenus of Lytopelte with L. maculata, Koch and Heyn., 

 as the type ; also Liolytopelte containing two new species, L. caucasica and 

 L. grusina. A new subgenus of Gigantomilax, termed Turcomilax, is des- 

 cribed, with G. nanus, Simr., as the type, and of Gigantomilax, s.s. a new 

 species G. robustus. The remaining new speciesare : Pannacella Korschinskii 

 and V. rubra, P. levandri, P. persica, Trigonochlamys minor, Pseudumilax 

 reibischi and P. ananoivi. 



The genus Phricolestes named in 1900 is now described with P. 

 udscharicus and P. ponticus ( = Pseudomilax lederi, Retowski, non 

 liottger) ; and the genus Hyrcanolestes with //. valentini. 



In nearly all cases the new genera are accompanied by a wealth of 

 anatomical descriptions and figures, and, as has already been pointed out, 

 many interesting observations upon their habits, habitat, distribution, 

 affinities, etc. 



