CURRENT LITERATURE. 143 



Sykes, E. R.— The Zoological Record, 1902, vol. xxxix. DivLsion vii. Mol- 

 lusca. pp. 85. London, 1903. 

 :\Ir. Sykes, assisted by Mr. E. A. Smith, again presents us with another year's 

 vahiable record, and we should like to direct the attention of all Malacologists 

 to the fact that the Division treating of the MoUusca may now be obtained sepa- 

 rately, and at a trifling cost. 



Kunkel, Karl. — Zur Locomotion unserer Nachtschuecken. Zool. Anz., 1903' 

 Bd. xxvi., pp. 560-566. 

 The author's observations on the locomotion of slugs corroborate Simroth's 

 view, that the species of Ariori are slower and more sluggish than the species of 

 Limax. His experiments lead him to the following conclusions : a. In decapita- 

 ted slugs the wave-play does not only remain in the foot, but also in the excised 

 pieces. The explanation of this phenomenon is due, as pointed out by Simroth, 

 to the fact that, " the ganglia in the meshvvork of the pedal musculature are sym- 

 pathetic, and the wave-play is automatic, b. If the wave-play has ceased in 

 individual pieces, it is possible to set these going again by mechanical and light 

 stimuli. The stimulus probably being conducted through certain nerve fibres 

 connecting the ganglia in the pedal nerve-network with the integumentary 

 nerve cells, c. In the individual pieces of Arion mechanical stimuli produced 

 energetic contraction, while light stimuli produced the wave-play. d. The pieces 

 of Limax exhibited a stronger wave-play. e. If the slugs are divided into three 

 or more parts, the middle piece exhibits less power of movement than the head 

 and tail-pieces. /. Pieces of the head and tail of Limax divided into smaller 

 pieces move more quickly than uninjured animals. g. The young Limaces 

 move more quickly than the adults. 



Sykes, E. R. — Notes on some British Edimidae. Proc. Malac. Soc. Lond., 

 1903, vol. V, pp. 348-353. pi. xiv. 



All who have at any time attempted the identification of the smaller forms 

 of British Etdima, know how very difficult it is to arrive at a satisfactory 

 decision ; such will welcome Mr. Sykes' timely notes and figures. 



A new species is described and figured, E. collinsi, from Guernsey. This is 

 the E. incurva var. monterosatoi of Mr. J. T. Marshall. E. placi/acme, n. nom., 

 for E. solida, Jeffreys, should also be noted. 



Sykes, E. R. — On the Land Operculate Mollusca collected during the " Skeat 

 Expedition '-' to the Malay Peninsula in 1899-1900. Proc. Zool. Soc. 

 Lond., 1903, pp. 194-199, pi. xx. 

 The author records 23 species, of which 8, and 1 variety, are new, viz., Lajo- 



chilus kobelti, Ditropis cavernae, Pterocydos suhalatus, Rhiostoma jalorensis, 



Rhaphaidus ascendens, R. perakensis, Smith, var. jalorensis. Opisthostoma 



annandalei, Diplommatina skeati, and D. laidlawi. 



Baker, F. C. — Rib Variation in Cardimn. Amer. Nat., 1903, vol. xxxvii, 

 481-488, figs. 1-7. 

 Mr. Baker has studied the rib variation of Cardium rodustam, isocardia and 

 muricatum, and finds that rohustum is the least variable and muricatum the most, 

 C. isocardia standing midway between these two species. He is of opinion that 

 the number of ribs is not a safe character upon which to found species. 



