112 THE XAUTILUS. 



number to the color varieties of Oliva iyiflata, Helix pida or varians, 

 and to designate all the forms of the above mentioned group of 

 Patida would seriously tax the brain of the most ardent devotee of 

 Xew School doctrines. 



Another way out of the difficulty is by throwing together under 

 one name those things which cannot be separated, as Fischer has 

 done to some extent with genera, and Tryon with species. The con- 

 solidation by Dr. Dall of Helix microdonta, Fehigeri, septemvolva, 

 Carpenieriana and cereolus, under the latter and older name ; the 

 union of the group of Patulas I have mentioned under a single ap- 

 pellation, and Mr. Pilsbry's somewhat startling announcement put- 

 ting such genera as Mesodon, Polygyra, Triodopsis and Stenotrema 

 into one group, are examples which I believed are approved by the 

 good sense of a majority of American Conchologists. Mr. Hemp- 

 hill has simply gone a little farther in the direction which these 

 gentlemen have moved, and I believed there is a wide field here in 

 the United States for further work in the same way. I do not 

 believe in naming or holding on to names for those things which 

 have neither besrinuing: nor end. 



EDIBLE MOLLTJSKS OF MAINE. 



BY HENRY WINCKLEY. 



As a supplement to the article by Prof. Keep in the January 

 Nautilus, and in accordance with his suggestion, Maine responds 

 to California with the following list of Mollusks found in the 

 markets. 



Ostrcea virginica (Gmel). As in all Eastern States this is by far 

 the most popular food mollusk ; they are obtained from the South, 

 i. e. from Providence to Norfolk, Va. There is a small bed of living 

 oysters in the Sheepscote River, some fifteen miles from the sea, and 

 occasionally a few are obtained and eaten by some energetic indi- 

 vidual ; they are not numerous and hence do not find their way to 

 the markets. 



Mya arenaria Linn., is largely used and abounds everywhere 

 along the coast. It is an inexpensive food and used by all classes. 

 Large quantities are canned. 



