7© CURRENT LITERATURE. 



CURRENT LITERATURE. 



Owing to the large number of papers awaiting review, the Editor is compelled, 

 for want of space, to restrict the notices of Current Literature to papers actually 

 received. 



PilsbPy, H. A. — Tryon's Manual of Conchology, ser. ii, vol. xii (pts. 45, 46), 

 pp. I — 112, pis. i — xxviii (except xxvi, issued with last volume). 



Continuing his study of DrynuKiLS, Mr. Pilsbry first deals with the species of the 

 West Indies, Trinidad, and Florida, which, he points out, are "undoubtedly derived 

 from the group of allied forms in Venezuela and the adjacent region." He next 

 passes to the species of .Mexico and Central America, and concludes his review of 

 this very difficult genus by a survey of the subgenus Lciostracus, which he restricts 

 to "a natural group of tree snails prominent in the province of Bahia, Brazil." 

 We feel, however, considerable doubt whether, there being a prior Liostraca " of 

 the same derivation and significance," two such names can be in use at the same 

 time in Zoology. 



We then pass to the subfamily Orlhalicince which he divides into two main 

 groups; (i) early whorls pitted, (2) early whorls smooth or nearly so. Of the 

 genera, Ortludiats belongs to the first, and Liguus, Oxystyla, and Porphyrohaphe 

 to the second group. The study of Oxystyla is then commenced and the present 

 portion concludes with the species of the Antilles and Florida. 



We note Drymccus sallci, n. sp. from Haiti (p. 11), and new varieties of D. 

 virginalis, D. multifasciatus, D. vinccntinus, and Oxystyla undata. — E. K. Sykf.s. 



Greppin, Ed. — Description des Fossiles du Bajocien superieur des environs de 

 Bale. Mem. Soc. I'aleont. Suisse, Geneve, 1898, vol. xxv, pp. i — 52. pis. 

 i — v. 



This is a good and interesting work, illustrated by some capital plates. The 

 author deals only with Cephalopods and Gastropods ; and he says that the scope 

 of his work is " to give an exact description of species which appear to be new and 

 to complete the diagnosis of those which are little known." The manner in which 

 the author has accomplished his task is excellent, though we may make certain 

 remarks: they are not intended as fault finding, but merely as suggestions. 



In the necessary stratigraphical introduction the author notes that, following the 

 example of Oppel, he has divided the Inferior Oolite into six zones. But much 

 greater perfection in the matter of the] subdivision of the Inferior Oolite has been 

 attained within the last seven or eight years in other countries with considerable 

 advantage to palaeontology. It is reasonable to suppose that the fifty-eight beds 

 which the author enumerates could be subdivided with similar detail. 



The palaeontographical portion of the work opens with descriptions of Belemnites, 

 though no figures are given. It is satisfactory to see that the author partially recog- 

 nises the desirability of generic subdivision oi Bclemnites ; though he only puts such 

 a title as Mcgatcuthis in brackets. It is obvious enough that such species as gigantens, 

 gingensis, and blainvillei belong to three distinct genera : they differ from each 

 other in more than specific characters, and it is time that this was fully recognised 

 in the nomenclature. But though the sulcate blainvillei is generieally distinct from 

 its non-sulcate contemporaries, it is obviously descended from non-sulcate ancestors ; 

 and this is a point which the generic nomenclature should recognise. The difficulty 

 here indicated consists mainly in the choice of a suitable generic distinction. 



Of the Ammonites the author figures a Lioccras sp., with a colour band. It 

 may be suggested that the species is not of the family to which Lioceras belongs, 

 but is one of the Sonnininac. He gives an excellent series of figures of Sphacroceras 

 polyschides with a long description. But why does he speak therein of ' 'i>p. Brooki " 

 when he means hrocchii ? And when he says ' ' that Brooki approaches Steph. 



