Miscellaneous. 201 
4. Twenty-six species of foraminifera, chiefly of arenaceous 
. types, are described, nine of which are new forms, viz.: Haplo- 
phragmium rheticum, Ammodiscus awriculus, A. fusiformis, Nodo- 
sinella wedmoriensis, Stacheia intermedia, NS. triradiata, S. dispansa, 
S. cuspidata, and Truncatulina stelligera. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
A Query as to the Synonymy of Rhysota Armiti, Smith, 
By C. Heptzy, F.L.S. 
TuosE who have had occasion to deal with the revision of species, 
either fauna by fauna or region by region, have observed that 
when an author has described a species without figuring it suc- 
ceeding writers on the same subject have frequently renamed such 
species, but that when the first reporter also gave a figure of his 
species such usually escaped the infliction of synonymy. Thus Gray 
first received several common New-Zealand land-shells and gave 
unfigured descriptions of them; Gould and Pfeiffer succeeded him 
in the study of this fauna, and gave several of his species new 
names. Again, Brazier was the first to name, without illustrations, 
several common Papuan forms; but Tapparone Canefri, who wrote 
-later on a collection from the identical localities, so failed to under- 
stand his predecessor that he renamed most of them. It was once 
remarked by Dr. P. P. Carpenter that, ‘with the best desires for 
accuracy and the greatest care, it is hardly possible for an author to 
so describe that his readers shall see shells as he sees them.” 
These reflections are suggested by a perusal of Mr. E. A. Smith’s 
article ‘‘ Descriptions of new Species of Land-Shells from New Guinea” 
(A. & M. N. H. 1895, xv. pp. 230-233), and especially a description 
therein contained of Rthysota Armiti, sp.n. As I have endeavoured to 
show, no positive identification can be made from any mere descrip- 
tion, even from one as good as Mr. Smith’s invariably are. With 
this reservation, I should conclude that examples of my R. flyensis 
(P. L. 8. N.S. W. (2) vi. p. 71) stood for this literary portrait— 
because, firstly, I have received from Capt. Armit and recorded (op. 
cit. (ix.) p. 390) from Mount Maneao (not Maneau, as Mr. Smith 
writes) specimens of /. flyensis; secondly, because size alone, a 
variable feature in this genus, appears the only written discrepancy 
in the descriptions of each ; and, thirdly, Mr. Smith seems in com- 
paring Armiti with hercules to be unaware of the existence of 
flyensis. 
The Breeding-habits of the Crayfish. By E, A. AnpRrews. 
The breeding-habits of the European crayfish, Astacus, have been 
studied and recorded; but nothing is known of the processes of 
conjugation in the American species. 
A study of Cambarus affinis kept in confinement shows that con- 
jugation takes place in the autumn and in the spring, and that it 
differs in important respects from what is known in Astacus. 
Ann. & Mag. N, Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. xvi. 14 
