58 THE NAUTILUS. 
differs from the foregoing in the conspicuous development of a con- 
tinuous peristome and the strong spiral striation of the earlier 
whorls. The species are few—QO. odontostomus Sowb., grayanus 
Pfr., fasciatus Dohrn (Novit. Conch. III, p. 473, pl. 102, f. 16, 17), 
degeneratus vy. Iher. & Pils., and finally O. cordovanus Pfr., for 
which the subgeneric names Scalarinella and Clessinia have been 
proposed, is probably a slender member of the subgenus Macrodoutes. 
POSTAGE ON NATURAL HISTORY SPECIMENS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
No doubt many of our readers wish to renew or open ex- 
changes with foreign Conchologists, at present impracticable, owing 
to the fact that letter rates have to be paid on natural history 
specimens. Reference to this matter was made in THE NAUTILUS, 
Vol. VII, p. 58 and Vol. X, p. 127. The Academy of Natural 
Sciences of Philadelphia took the initiative in securing the ad- 
mission of specimens of natural history to the mails of the Universal 
Postal Union as “samples of merchandise” and appointed a 
Committee, which reported as follows: 
Your Committee have now but to make its official report of the generally 
well-known fact that the proposed modification as regards Natural History 
specimens was adopted at the Washington Congress of the Universal 
Postal Union in May last. The adoption of this modification is referred to 
by the Superintendent of Foreign Mails of the U.S. Post Office, Mr. N. M. 
Brooks, in his Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1897, and dated 
Washington, Oct. 13, 1897. The reference is as follows: Alluding to the 
work of the Universal Postal Congress, Mr. Brooks says (p. 7), “The 
following are, however, matters of general interest or importance which it 
may be well to mention, viz: . . . . (4) Natural History specimens 
are admitted at the rate and under the conditions applicable to samples of 
merchandise.” The same Report contains the full text of the convention 
concluded by the congress, and on page 42 contains the paragraph in 
question (chap. iii, art. xvii, parag. 5) as follows: “There are likewise 
admitted at the rate applicable to samples, articles of natural history, dried 
or preserved animals and plants, geological specimens ete., which are not 
transmitted for a commercial purpose, and which are wrapped in con- 
formity with the general stipulations concerning samples of merchandise.”’ 
The rate for samples is fixed at 5 centimes for every fifty grams, that is 1 
cent for every two ounces. According to art. 28 of chapter i, this Conven- 
tion is not to be put into execution until January 1, 1899. 
Your Committee has, therefore, fulfilled its labors and congratulates the 
Academy that the end aimed at in the first cireular [see the NAuTILUus for 
