26 THE CONCHOLOGISTS’ EXCHANGE. 
Unionidz straightened what, but for him, 
would be a very crooked path. He has well 
earned his rest. 
We regret that “* Random Notes on Natural 
History,” has been discontinued with the 
number for December, and sincerely trust 
that some arrangement may be made whereby 
it shall again make its appearance. No good 
can come from the stoppage of so useful a 
journal, but much harm to the young whose 
minds must be directed to scientific reading as 
one of the cures for the harmful and trashy 
literature of the day. Mr. H. F. Carpenter’s 
interesting series of articles on the ‘Shell 
Bearing Mollusca of Rhode Island,” is tem- 
porarily stopped by the discontinuance of this 
valuable publication. 
Whoever secures the rare and valuable 
work by Kiener, published in another col- 
umn, will have a masterpiece of art in descrip- 
tive Conchology. Although the text is in 
French, the plates, of which there are several 
hundred, are strikingly natural and not too 
highly colored as is often the case with works 
of this character. The attention of Universi- 
ties and Scientific Societies is respectfully 
solicited. 
By request we extend the time for making 
up “Clubs”? at the former subscription price, 
until February 15th, 1887. Beginning with 
February number the price of subscription to 
«The Conchologists’ Exchange”? will be 35 
cents per annum; to foreign countries, 50 
cents. This arrangement will continue until 
the commencement of Volume II. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Ed. Conchologists’ Exchange, Sir:—In the 
last issue of the Exchange, I note that Mr. 
Ancey has established a new group, Pristina 
forthe western Helices Zonztes lansing7, Bld. 
_Zonites stearnst, Bld. It has long been my 
opinion that these species cannot be included 
in either Zonites (including Conzlus and 
Gastrodonta) or Microphysa , which should be 
regarded as a synonym of Hyalina as Dall has 
shown. lIagree with Mr. Ancey in separating 
them as a distinct group near Zonites, charac- 
terized by the combination of aculeate marginal 
teeth with ribbed jaw and conulus-like shell. 
Unfortunately the proposed name F/rstina is 
preoccupied (in Vermes, 1831), and I suggest 
that the group be called Axceyza in honor of 
the eminent conchologist C. F. Ancey. Of 
the other names proposed, Ce/ospira has been 
used by Hall in Brachiopoda, and Pecilostola 
is thrice preoccupied, having been used in a 
generic sense in Diptera, Hemiptera ana Col- 
eoptera Students of our land shells would do 
well to carefully weigh a very suggestive 
paragraph by Dall regarding the status of the 
numerous subgenera of Helix, in Proc. Nat. 
Mus. 1885, p. 267 and 271, in this connection. 
Harry A. Pilsbry. 
Ed. Conchologists’ Exchange, Sir :—Refer- 
ring to your “* Answer to Correspondents ”’ in 
No. 3 replying to Amateur about /elécina 
subtropica, you say it is not described in 
Binney’s L. and F. W. shells. I am probably 
the one who is responsible for sending out this 
species. Prof. R. E. Call says ‘The name 
sub-tropica has long since been dropped as 
being synonymous with /Yedtcina orbiculata. 
So it appears that sab-tropica was the original 
name. J. A. Singley, Giddings, Texas. ‘ 
Ed. Conchologists’ Exchange, Sir:—In 
regard to Unzo Liediz, | would say that I find 
them in rather shallow water, on gravelly and 
pebbly bottoms, where the waves are constantly 
washing over them, which must necessarily 
decorticate or erode the shells more or less. 
Such I find is the case with the half dozen or 
more species of Unionidze found in the same 
situation. The best time to secure them is 
after a heavy west wind which causes the 
waters of the lake (Erie), to recede so that 
they are left bare on the beach. 
Jerome Trombley, Petersburgh, Mich. 
Editor Conchologists’ Exchange, 
Sir:—I am sorry to hear that the publication 
of Random Notes on Natural History ends 
with the present (December) number. Though 
small in size it was one of the best magazines 
of the kind in the country. By its ‘untimely 
taking off”? several valuable contributions to 
science that have been running in it for years 
will remain unfinished for the present at least. 
