60 THE NAUTILUS. 



others. The umbilical chink is usually conspicuous but may be so 

 wide as to form a deep umbilicus or it may be entirely closed, as in 

 some specimens from both Wisconsin and Canada. L. e. wisconsin- 

 ensis is by far the most abundant shell in Tomaiiawk Lake, Wiscon- 

 sin, where, in many places, it forms windrows of dead shells on the 

 shore after a northwesterly storm. It was at first thought to be a 

 variety of the mlghelsi type of shell, but the globular form of the 

 body whorl is so different from mighelsi and the shells are so numer- 

 ous in the original locality as to render it quite as eligible to receive 

 a name as are any of the races of Lymnoea. 



NOTES. 



The Lamarck Collection. — In these days, when systematists 

 pay more attention to ancient authors, it is of the highest importance 

 to know the precise specimens which those authors had before them 

 when they wrote their descriptions, usually almost unintelligible to 

 us, and gave their names. Among the more important systematic 

 works of the early part of the last century is Lamarck's " Histoire 

 Naturelle des Animaux sans Vert^bres." Consequently the speci- 

 mens on which that work was based are of particular value. On 

 Lamarck's death his conchological collection was bought by Prince 

 Massena. Some years later it became the property of Mr. Benjamin 

 Delessert, who bequeathed it to the city of Geneva, and it is now 

 preserved in the natural history museum of that place. It contained 

 chiefly shells of mollusks and brac!)iopods, both living and fossil. It 

 was accompanied by a catalogue based on a copy of the " Histoire < 

 Naturelle," and containing marginal notes written either by Lamarck 

 or by the daughter who served as his secretary when he became 

 blind. The Geneva Museum has now undertaken the publication 

 of an illustrated catalogue, giving figures of all the species found in 

 Lamarck's collection, whether created by himself or by other authors. 

 Except in those cases where the species are represented by a very 

 large number of specimens, or sometimes badly preserved specimens, 

 all the specimens will be figured. The accompanying text will give 

 the diagnosis of Lamarck, the number of specimens indicated in his 

 MS. catalogue, and the number now to be found in his collection. 

 Other notes will be added as required. The first part, relating to 

 the fossil brachiopods, has now been issued. It comprises twenty- 

 two plates, and has been drawn up with the collaboration of Dr. M. 

 Clerc and Dr. J. Faire. The complete catalogue will be issued in 

 two series, one representing living species and the other fossil spe- 

 cies. It is possible to subscribe to one or other of these series. 

 After publication and distribution to subscribers, the separate sec- 

 tions will be sold at a slightly higher price. Further details may be 

 obtained from Mr. M. Bedot, Directeur du Museum Naturelle, 



Geneva, or Messrs. Georg et Cie, libraires a Geneva From The 



Museums Journal, vol. 9, p. 459, June, 1910. 



