94 THE NAUTILUS. 
Until within a few years, Mr. Van Nostrand resided at Green- 
ville, near Jersey City, N. J., where he was a prominent and highly 
esteemed citizen. There, in his beautiful and hospitable home on 
the shore of New York Bay, he entertained many noted concholo- 
gists, including the great collector, Hugh Cuming. 
He was one of the earliest members of the New York Lyceum of 
Natural History, and among his intimate associates were Messrs. 
Redfield, W. G. Binney, Robt. Swift, Wheatley and Haines, but his 
closest friend was the late Thomas Bland, for whom he had a most 
affectionate regard which was reciprocated by that distinguished 
naturalist. After the death of Mr. Bland, Mr. Van Nostrand 
raised a fund to provide for the monument which now marks his 
grave in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, near that of Mr. Redfield, 
He frequently expressed to the writer his affection for the memory 
of his deceased friend, and only a short while before his death 
planned a visit to Mr. Bland’s grave, which he was not able to 
carry out. ; 
Mr. Van Nostrand’s cabinet is rich in many families, both marine 
and terrestrial, particularly so in cones, olives, volutes, cypreeas and 
mitras. It also contains the larger and better portion of the Bland 
collection of West Indian land shells, the labels of which are in 
the hand-writing of Mr. Bland. It also contains many choice speci- 
mens obtained from the Perry Expedition. It is to be regretted 
that Mr. Van Nostrand made no provision for the disposition of 
this truly valuable collection which should adorn some one of our 
great public institutions. Several species of shells have been named 
in his honor, among them Helix Van Nostrandi Bland, of our 
southern States. 
A gentleman of the old school, a kind and generous friend, he 
will be missed and his memory cherished by those whose good for- 
tune it was to know him.—S. Raymonp Rosents. 
[COMMUNICATED. ] 
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CONCHOLOGISTS. 
A number of representative members of the American Association 
of Conchologists in various parts of the country, having expressed 
their desire to renew the activity of the Association, the initiative 
was taken by a gentleman of Philadelphia, not a former officer, 
