THE NAUTILUS. 143 



Rules of the Association. 



1. The name of this association shall be the " American Associa- 

 tion of Conchologists." 



2. Its object shall be to enlist its members in the systematic study 

 of the Mollusca, so that l)y harmonious co-o})eration better results 

 may be accomplished for science. 



3. There shall be no dues or charges attached to membership. 



4. The officers shall be a President, vice-President and Secre- 

 tary, who shall be chosen annually upon the first Wednesday of 

 June. Upon that day each member shall send a communication to 

 the Secretary, designating his choice for officers, and the person 

 receiving the highest number of votes for each position shall be 

 declared elected and shall assume office upon the 15th of June 

 following. 



5. The officers shall constitute a committee on membership. An 

 applicant must be proposed to the Secretary, and upon a unanimous 

 recommendation of the committee shall be enrolled as a member of 

 the association. 



6. As soon as possible after enrollment, each member shall select 

 for special study some group, family or division of Mollusca, or 

 some special branch of Conchology, and inform the President of 

 his selection. 



7. Members shall aid each other in naming shells, determining 

 species, settling disputed questions, etc. 



8. They shall also, whenever possible, make special collections 

 of shells, etc. They are recommended also to make general collec- 

 tions, representing the leading genera and forms, both recent and 

 fossil. 



Young- Collectors' Department. 



LEAVES FROM A DIARY. 



BY M. BURTON WILLIAMSON. 



" We had thought the clitf at White's Point, Los Angeles 

 County, hard to descend, but, when we saw the precipitous trail 

 down which we were to pass at Point Fermin, we almost held our 



