CURRENT LITERATURE. 45 



work is beautifully printed and reflects the greatest credit on all concerned in its 

 production. — W. E. C. 



PoSSelt, H. J. — Conspectus Faunce GroenJandicre. Brachiopoda et Mollusca. 

 Svo, pp. xix + 298, T. i-ii and map. Kjobenhavn: 1898. 



This beautifully illustrated work may be regarded as a contribution from the 

 Malacological Department of the Zoological Museum of the University of Copen- 

 hagen, under the able directorship of Dr. Jenson. It describes no less than 249 

 species and varieties of molluscs, excluding a dozen or more doubtful ones. The 

 distribution has been worked out in great detail. The original descriptions are 

 in many cases reproduced, and much information respecting points of nomenclature 

 and classification is given. 



The following species and varieties are new : — 



Pcden imhrifer, Lov., var. n. lamellosa, Nucula groenlandica, n. sp. , Bela 

 tcoodiana, Moll., var. n. tumida, B. decussata, Couth, var. n. inflata, Sipfio {Sipho- 

 norbis) lindahli, n. sp., S. (Tritonofusus}) costiferus, n. sp., Buccinum widulatum, 

 Moll., var. n. percrassa, B. grocnlandicum, Chem., var. n. major, B. perdix, (Beck) 

 Morch, vars. n. lutea, ixrsulcata, wandeli and carinata, B. hydrophanum, Hancock, 

 vars. n. tumidosa, 2)ercrassa diud tcxturata. — W. E. C. 



BePgfh, R. — Die Opisthobranchier der Sammlung Plate. Zool. Jahrb. (Suppl. iv.) 

 1898, pp. 481-582, T. 28-33. 



Professor Bergh here describes and figures a series of Opisthobranchs collected 

 by Dr. Plate on the west coast of South America. Most of the species are new, 

 some forming the types of new genera, whilst a few species originally described by 

 d'Orbigny in 1847 are dealt with. Of the Teclibranchia there are 2 new species, 

 Apliisiojjsis jiianina, n. gen., n. sp. , a form allied to Aplysia, and Fleuroh'anchus 

 platci. Amongst the Nudibranchia the following are new : Archiduris ruhcseens, A} 

 incerla, Anisodoris, a new genus which is distinguished from the true Archiduris by 

 the presence of a large prostate, as in Humoiodoris, but distinguished from the 

 latter by the absence of an armour to the otherwise very strong vagina. It includes 

 the Boris punduolata, d'Orb., and D. variolata, d'Orb., in addition to A. viarmorata 

 and A. tcssellata, which are new. Flatydoris pundatdla is an interesting new 

 species, while Tyrinna nohilis forms the type of a new genus distinguished by its 

 peculiar tentacles, which are furnished on the inner side with a series of folds, the 

 penis is unarmed. The remaining new species are Chromodoris juvenca, Euplo- 

 camus tnaculatus, CandicUa aitstralis, Cratena aivanca and pusilla, Phidiana 

 cxigua. 



A supplement describes 2 species o{ Marseina {perspicua, L., and|)«ci/?ca Bgh.), 

 of the former the following varieties are new, incerta, maculosa, and marginata. 



W. E. C. 



Howe, J. L.— Variation in the shell of Helix nemoralis in the Lexington, Va., 

 Colony. Amer. Nat., 1898, vol. xxxii, pp. 913-23, 2 figs. 



This is an interesting paper, bristling with statistics, on what appears to be 

 the only successful colony of H. nemoralis in the United States. It seems strange 

 that this attractive species should not have been more widely transplanted either 

 accidentally or by design. Attempts to colonise it from the Lexington source in 

 other parts of the United States have apparently proved a failure, with the possible 

 exception of Blairstown, Pa. 



Mr. Howe finds, as the result of very careful study, that the tendency to variation 

 in this colony proceeds along definite lines, and is not the same in all localities of 

 the colony, which now extends over an area of about l| miles by half a mile. He 

 also finds that a considerable destruction of individuals does not materially modify 

 this tendency. The lines of variation are much the same as with us, with one excep- 

 tion, viz., that there is a great development of supplemental bands, either by split- 



