CURRENT LITERATURE. 75 



The second part deals with a subject hitherto untouched, the embryology of the 

 group. It is largely given up to the description of a curious ectodermic ciliated 

 test, which may possibly represent the velum of other molluscan embryos. The test 

 is formed early, and almost entirely surrounds the embryo, while within it a new 

 ectoderm arises probably " from cells that have wandered in from the surface" (a 

 somewhat vague expression). After some time — lOO hours or so — the test with 

 a large part of the stomodoeum is shed. 



The development of the other organs is little more than touched upon, a fault 

 that will no doubt be remedied in the larger publication. But even in this prelim- 

 inary paper one would have liked to hear more of the development of the nervous 

 system. Is there, for instance, any sign of duplicity in the early development of the 

 cerebral ganglia, suggestive of fused cerebral and pleural in the adult ? A word of 

 praise must be given to the 21 illustrations, which are both clear and artistic. — 



K. H. BURNE. 



Kennard, A. S. and Woodward, B. B.— A Revision of the Pliocene non- 

 marine Mollusca of England. Proc. Malac. Soc. Lond., 1899, vol. iii, pp. 

 187 — 204, figs. I — 4. 



A useful and much needed revision. 38 species are enumerated and 12 of the 

 previously recorded species are rejected. Pahidcstrina rccvei is a new species, 

 while Pisidium fontinalc, Drp., and P. pusillum, Gml. , are new records. — W.E.C. 



Melvill, J. Cosmo, and Sykes, E. R.— Notes on a third collection of Marine 

 Shells from the Andaman Islands, with descriptions of three new species of 

 Ultra. Proc. Malac. Soc. Lond., 1899, vol. iii, pp. 220 — 29, figs, i — vi. 



The new species and varieties are: Mitra (Chri/smne) hcryi, M. (Costellaria) 

 diledissima, M. (Costellaria) gcorgii, Nassa (Phrontis) zailcnsis, Sby., var. n. 

 andamanica, JVatica strongyla, Melv. , var. n. andamanica. 



Snow, ChaS. H. — Marine Wood-Borers. Proc. Anier. Soc. Civil Engineers, 

 1898, vol. x.\iv, pp. 399 — 430, pis. XX — xxi. 



An excellent and well illustrated paper, written from an engineer's standpoint. 

 Much useful information on the amount and rapidity of the destruction wrought on 

 American coasts by Teredo, will be found of interest to malacologists. — C. H. 



Fischer, H. — Liste des Mollusques Marins recueillis a Guethary et a Saint-Jean- 

 de-Luz. Trav. d. Lab. Soc. sci. et Stat. Zool. d'Arcachon, 1899, pp. i — 12. 



CoUett, 0. — Contributions to Ceylon Malacology. (2) Description of a new 

 Helicoid Land Shell from the Southern Province. Journ. R. Asiatic Soc. 

 Ceylon Branch, 1898, vol. xv, No. 49, pp. I — 2, i pi. 



Acavus ( Oligospira) poleii, n. sp. is closely applied to A. walioni, Rve., differing 

 however in its somewhat narrower and more solid shell, and by a pure white peris- 

 tome ; further A. poleii is restricted to the forests of the Southern Province, a 

 district in which A. waltoni is not known to occur. — W. E. C. 



Meli, R. — Sulla Eastonia rugosa, Chemn. (Mactra) ritrovata vivente e fossile nel 

 littorale di Anzio e Nettuno. Boll. d. Soc. Malac. Ital., 1897, vol. xx, pp. 45- 

 64, 1899, vol. XX, pp. 65-73, T. ii, pt. 



Msli, R. — Sul Typhis [T yphinellus) tetrapterus, Bronn (Mm-ex) etc. Ibid. 1899, 

 pp. 74-96, f. ii, pt. 



Audenino, L. — I Pteropodi Miocenici del Monte dei Cappuccini in Torino. 

 Ibid., pp. 97-114, T. v. 



Meli, R. — Ancora poche parole sugli esemplari di Ncptunea sinistrorsa, Desh. 

 (Fusus), pescati nella parte australe del bacino occidentale del Mediterraneo 

 (Algeri). Ibid., pp. 115-24, T. iv. 



