THE NAUTILUS. 

 WHAT IS SPECIES 1 



BY CHARLES T. SIMPSOX. 



But while we are throwing stones at the 'new school' across the 

 water, let us be sure that on this side we are not living in glass 

 houses. Look at the 1200 species of Unionidse ; more than half of 

 which we proudly claim to be residents of the Avaters of the 

 United States ! Look, too, at the vast number of names we apply to 

 our Strepomatidie, our Planorbis, Limmieas and Physas I There can 

 be no doubt that the numbers of these genera, and perhaps those of our 

 Zonites and Helices will be greatly cut down when the truth con- 

 cerning them is at last revealed to us. How many species of shells 

 have we, right here in our own country, w^hich have been thoroughly 

 and carefully studied ; of wliich complete collections have been 

 made of specimens of various ages throughout their range, and com- 

 pared with anything like complete collections of allied forms? Very 

 few indeed ! I know that in the matter of naming we are all " prone 

 to err as the sparks are to fly upwards." It is said that a naturalist 

 has a horror of the unnamed, and I believe it. I know collectors, 

 and good students too, who will not have unidentified specimens in 

 their cabinets, and I confess that it makes me a little fidgety to 

 have a shell that I cannot refer to anything. Those who collect get 

 such things often, and 'when they refuse to agree with any figure 

 or description, it is aggravating and then often no doubt the Father 

 of Temptation puts it into their heads that they are new ; and the 

 thought of seeing their names in print attached to one of the works 

 of nature, and the cheap glory that accompanies it stimulates them 

 to name and send them out, when perhaps had their relations been 

 carefully studied out, they would be found to be merely forms of 

 something already well known. I cannot forbear in this place from 

 quoting from a letter written by my friend, the late Miss Annie E. 

 Law, one of the most careful and indefatigable students and 

 collectors that has ever lived in this counti'y. She says : " I want 

 to tell you what an iconoclast I would be if I had a chance ! I send 

 vou Eurycselon Wheatleyii which came from Mr. Wheatley himself. 

 jS^ow can you see any reason why Anculosa praerosa W'Ouldn't be 

 just as good a name ? In the Holston and Clinch Rivers individuals 

 of the same species seem to grow heavier, coarser, and generally 

 larger as we go down streauL 



