CURRENT LITERATURE. 2$ 



shells, those of the male and female being alike, with radially sculptured beaks, the 

 Endohraiichs, up to the highest forms of to-day, with concentric, doubly looped 

 beak sculpture, with highly painted shells, in which those of the male and female 

 are very dififerent, with the young contained in distinctly marked ovisacs in the 

 hinder part of the outer gills alone, the Exobranchs." 



The past history of the Naiades is then treated of, and very interesting and 

 valuable are the views set forth. The work of Rafinesque, Lamarck, and the so- 

 called new school of France, is next reviewed, and a synopsis of the genera, etc., 

 given in ta?jiilar form. 



A running comment in the form of foot-notes is made upon the genera, species, 

 etc., in the systematic portion. Many new names are introduced and radical 

 changes made. Finally a bibliography containing nearly 2000 titles, and an index 

 extending over 46 pp. concludes this valuable work. 



Mr. Simpson has had no light task before him, for such a work as the present 

 one must have entailed many years hard work, often of a very trying nature. It has 

 been well done and handled in a masterly manner, and must for many years rank 

 as the standard work, for it cannot fail, with its wealth of criticism, to prove 

 indispensable to all who study the group. On all concerned in its production 

 (excepting the binders, the stitching being abominable) it reflects the greatest 

 credit.— W. E. C. 



Baker, F. C. — The Gross AnTitoiwy oi Limimea emarginata, Say, vaneiy mighclsi, 

 Binney. Lull. Chicago Ac. Sci., 1900, vol. ii, pp. 191— 211, pis. i — vi. 



The author has given an interesting account of the gross anatomy of this form, 

 together with other useful notes. Respecting the wide range of variation in this 

 species, a large number of figures of the variety mighclsi are given, out of which 

 any one fond of making species could form a large number and several genera, but 

 the animals show no such variation, indeed they are anatomically wonderfully 

 uniform. The digestive system, generative organs, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, 

 renal and muscular systems are described and figured. 



Collett, 0. — Pearl Oysters and Pearl Fisheries. Reprint from "Ceylon Observer," 

 1900, pp. I — 12. 



This is an abstract of an interesting paper read by the author on October 27th, 

 at a meeting of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. In addition to 

 Mr. Collett's paper it contains remarks made by Capt. Donnan, Mr. R. H. 

 Ferguson, Dr. Vandort and others. 



Melvill, J. Cosmo. — Descriptions of Two Species of Cypraea, both of the Sub- 

 genus Trivia, Gray. Ann. and Mag. N. H., 1900 (s. 7), vol. vi, pp. 207 — 210, 

 4 figs. 



C (T.) galapageacsis, n. sp. , is characterised by a shining, enamelled callosity 

 over the whole centre of the dorsal region, completely obliterating the sulcus (if 

 such exists), a feature unknown in any other species of Trivia. Affinity exists 

 between this species and j^ulla, Gask., and also suhrostrata, Gray. Hab. Albemarle 

 Is., Galapagos. 



C. (T.) buttoni, n. sp. (Hab. — ?) is a small, globular, straw-coloured species, 

 with few ribs and no sulcus. 



Wiegrnann, Fritz.— Binnen-Mollusken aus Westchina und Centralasien. Zooto- 

 mische Untersuchungen. i. Die Heliciden. L'Ann. du Mus. Zool. d. I'Acad. 

 Imp. Sci. St. Petersb., 1900, T. v, pp. i — 1S6, pis, i — iv. 



