316 Mr. R. M'Andrew on the Comparative Size of Mollusca. 



Though I do not pretend to compete with Mr. Jeffreys as a 

 collector of British shells, I have possessed greater opportunities 

 of collecting native species than of the shells of foreign countries. 

 Having devoted more time and labour to our native species, my 

 cabinet is proportionately better furnished with them ; conse- 

 quently I cannot agree with i\lr. Jeffreys as to the cause of the 

 difference between us, and the error into which one of us has 

 fallen, but concur with him in the hope that further experience 

 will show which of our conclusions is correct. 



Having now gone over JNIr. Jeffreys's remarks, paragraph by 

 paragraph, it remains for me to add that I have stated nothing 

 as fact which I am not prepared to prove by reference to speci- 

 mens in my own cabinet. I mentioned in my last communica- 

 tion, and I repeat it now, that nothing could be easier to 

 me than to multiply instances in support of my views, but con- 

 ceive that my doing so now would be a waste of time, as I have 

 cited sufficient for the purpose. 



In conclusion, I beg to remark that, in order to sustain the 

 theory propounded and advocated by Mr. Jeffreys, it should be 

 proved to hold good both within and without the Mediterranean : 

 it should be shown that the Mollusca of the coasts of Piedmont 

 (situated only six or seven degrees south of the southernmost 

 shores of England, and one or two degrees north of Vigo) are 

 larger in size than the Mollusca of the Meditei'ranean generally ; 

 they should be as much larger than the specimens of Gibraltar 

 and Malta as they are smaller than the British. I would also 

 suggest that the British seas extend through above ten degrees 

 of latitude, and have been more thoroughly explored than any 

 other part of the world of similar extent ; and if Mr. Jef- 

 freys's proposition held good within their area, it could hardly 

 have escaped the notice of the numerous collectors and naturalists 

 who have made our coasts the scene of their labours. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



Handbook of the British Flora. By G. Bentham, F.L.S. 



London : Lovell Reeve. 1858. 



A FEW years since, the Flora by Hooker and Arnott was the text- 

 book and rallying point of that "school" of English botanists who 

 professed to remain satisfied with a moderate subdivision of species, 

 and were dis])Osed to defer accejtting, until tested by cultivation, the 

 so-called " sul)-specics," which liave been generally adopted as spe- 

 cies uj)on the Euro))ean continent, and wliicli had to some extent 

 been rceonuuended to the Britisli student in Babington's Manual. 

 Tiie followers of Hooker and Arnott let us call by way of illus- 



