132 THE NAUTILUS. 



America, so conspicuous in land snails, also seems to hold in 

 Unionidce. The discussion of. the dispersal and migration of the 

 UnionidcB is one of the most interesting chapters. Mr. Simpson be- 

 lieves that the earliest Uniones had radial beak sculpture and carried 

 the embryos in the inner gills ; but these characters now persist 

 chiefly in austral species, such as the South American genera 

 (Ihjrituue) which have been replaced in the north by forms with ex- 

 ternal ovisacs and concentric, beak sculpture (TJnionince). The 

 genus Trunvilla {"Unio triangularis" etc.) marks the highest differ- 

 entiation of Naiad life. Space denies further discussion of this topic, 

 which, though highly theoretical, is handled with firm grasp of the 

 facts and probabilities in the case. 



Mr. Simpson's synopsis is destined to work a revolution in the 

 study of fresh-water mussels, though there will naturally be opposi- 

 tion to the new ideas and methods among some reactionists. It is to 

 be hoped that a sufficient edition has been prepared to enable all in- 

 terested in the subject to obtain copies, and that a way will be 

 opened for Mr. Simpson to continue his work to its logical end in a 

 fully illustrated monograph of the " naiades." 



FRANCIS C. BROWNE. 



It was only recently that the editors of The Nautilus learned 

 with regret of the death of one of their old correspondents, Francis 

 C. Browne, which occurred at his home in Frainingham, Mass., 

 Jan. 9, 1900, in the 70th year of his age. 



He- graduated from Harvard College in 1851, and the same year 

 went to Florida, where he joined Prof.. Agassiz's party at Key West. 

 He camped in the Everglades and upon the Miami River, and 

 secured many rare and valuable specimens. Later he visited Labra- 

 ddi' and obtained many rare specimens ef birds. For several years 

 Mr. Browne would frequently send us boxes of shells for verification 

 or determination, and his enthusiasm and appreciation made the 

 work always a pleasure. lie was also a devoted lover of birds, 

 being an associate member of the American Ornithologists' Union 

 and an occasional contributor to "The Auk" and " Nuttall Bui-' 

 letin." 



He leaves a daughter, to whom we are indebted for the facts 

 of this brief sketch. 



