480 Miscellaneous. 



consists of Archaean gneisses, quartzites, amphibolite- schists, 

 chloritic schists, and pegmatites. It is capped by purple grits, 

 red sandstones, and conglomerates, which are covered by limestones 

 of Neocomian, Turonian (? Cenoraanian), and Eocene ages. The 

 Neocomian limestone, which may be correlated with that of Singeli 

 described by Rochebrunc, occurs at Dobar in the Guban ; while 

 a Jurassic limestone, probably of Eathonian date, occurs at 

 Bihendula in the Guban. Fossils collected from these limestones 

 and from raised reefs of Pleistocene age, by Mr. and Mrs. Lort 

 Phillips, Miss Gillet, Mr. G. P. V. Aylmer, Capt. E. T. Marshall, 

 and Mr. F. B. Parkinson, have been examined by the author, who 

 tabulates a list of corals and echinids. One new genus and fourteen 

 new species of corals are described, belonging to the genera 

 Stylophora, Stijlina, Colamnastnea, Prionastrifa., Favia, Metethmos, 

 Ci/dolites, and Lithanva, and one new species of Pseiidodiadema. 

 The evidence of the collections is sufficient to show that a Neocomian 

 limestone occurs both on the summit of the Somali plateau and on 

 the floor of the Guban, and that some marine limestones of Lower 

 Tertiary age (probably Eocene) also occur on the plateau. It is 

 therefore evident that the foundering of the Aden Gulf is post- 

 Eocene in age. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



A Question of Nomenclature. 



To the Editors of the Anmds and M<i(jazine of Natural liistonj. 



Gentlemen,— I greatly regret to have again to intrude on your 

 space with regard to a question of nomenclature. 



I learn to my regret that this island is not the only part of 

 Europe that harbours the pious priority-jfUiist ; a German ornitho- 

 logist has, I am informed, proposed to ajjply the word Apus to the 

 Swift ! 



What justification he can find in the numerous tomes that have 

 been written about birds I know not, and do not seek to know. 



I have, however, to submit that Apus, both by law aud prescrip- 

 tion, belongs to the freshwater crustacean that has for a century 

 and a half been known by that name : for it was called uttovs by 

 Frisch in 1732 ; this was adopted in 175(5 by Schiifer, who, on p. 131 

 of his ' Krebsartige Kiefenfiisse,' speaks of A^ms piscifonnis. I 

 submit that Schiifer's generic name stands on an equality with those 

 of Brisson or Artedi, which are expressly named in the note to, 

 law 2 of the British Association rules. 



But I should like to go further. A law or a process which 

 leads to the changing of so well-known a name is an abuse to good 

 sense, and serves to bring our science into disrepute. 



Your faithful Servant, 



April 11, 1900. F. jEFiTvEi Bell. 



P.S. — I am reminded that Scopoli (Introd. Hist. Nat. 1777, 

 p. 404) speaks of the genus A2)0s for Monoculus apas, Linn., and on 

 p. 483 o£ Ap)us for Hinmdo apus, Linn. That after the knowledge 

 of this obvious misprint a priority-purist should continue to insist 

 that the name of the Swift is J^xja" makes me regret my epithet of 

 pious, and inclines me to one of a very different significance. 



