have had their needs considered as the former 
work has been issued in four editions and the 
latter in three; the cheaper editions of both 
works bring them within the means of all 
students of nature. 
It is unwise, not to say careless to pass by 
shells upon collecting tours without a thorough 
examination. We have one valve of Unio 
circulus, Lea, which has the usual modest 
epidermis of its species; while the beautiful 
coloring of its nacre suggests the hues of an 
autumnal sunset. A former owner aptly 
labelled it ‘‘a poor specimen outside, but one 
of a thousand within.” 
Professor Forel discovered that specimens of 
Limnzea found in the deep waters of the Swiss 
lakes had their pulmonary sacs filled with 
water instead of air. Another curious fact 
commented upon was that when the animal 
was exposed to the atmosphere the normal 
method of respiration was resumed without 
any appearance of suffering whatever. 
Why do you keep that box of duplicates 
lying there in the dust, when it should be far 
on its way towards helping your fellow student 
in his researches? He has something in his 
cabinet that-you may have in trade for the 
asking, while that box is fast becoming a 
fossil right in your sight, and its contents are 
doing neither your friends nor you any good. 
What with the constant Work of the Steamer 
‘“‘Blake” and others of the United States 
Coast Survey, and the many new forms being 
discovered by Profesgpr Verrill and his com- 
patriots it can scarcely be said that our nation 
is behindhand in the march of scientific 
progress. i 
Your attention is respectfully called to L. 
G. Kiener’s rare and very valuable work pub- 
lished in another column. This is the chance 
of a life-time and is well worth the money. 
A new Mitra has been discovered by Pro- 
fessor Dall. 
ae 
The Faunatic dependence of the Mediterranean 
upon the Atlantic. 
The voyage of the Krench despatch boat 
“ Travailleur”’ in 1880 and 1881 was the means 
of deciding conclusively the absolute depen- 
dence of the Mediterranean Sea upon the 
Atlantic Ocean for its fauna. The Mediterra- 
nean at the depth of 2600 metres was often 
found to have a muddy bottom covered in 
many places with large quantities of pelagic 
mollusks such as Hyalea, Carinaria, etc. Not 
finding the conditions necessary for the high 
development of animal life the ‘* Travailleur” 
sailed westward and when outside the Straits 
of Gibraltar the character of the sea bed was 
found to have entirely changed. Pebbly, 
sandy and rocky areas were encountered which 
brought with them a gratifying increase in the 
animal life yielded by the dredges. Accord- 
ing to Prof. A. Milne Edwards who accom- 
panied the expedition the more the Mediterra- 
nean forms are studied the more it becomes 
evident that its species can be found in the 
Atlantic. The similarity of species was es- 
pecially noticeable upon the coasts of Portugal, 
Morocco and Senegal; many forms being 
found which were considered indigenous to 
the Mediterranean coasts, while on the latter 
numerous species were encountered which 
were believed to be peculiar to the Atlantic, 
which has proved that the fauna of the Med- 
iterranean Sea had its origin in the Atlantic 
Ocean by way of the Straits of Gibraltar. 
—From The work of the “ Travailleur” in 
Americon Naturalist, Jan., 1883. 
A Word to our Younger Friends, 
It has not been so very long since our entire 
collection consisted of a conch or two from the 
sea-shore and a few mussels from the river near 
us. Common names, but dear to us, as were 
the shells. We heartily sympathize with youin 
your early struggles and disappointments and 
advise you not to give up in despair because 
your first essay has had a frown for its reward; 
or your first exchange advertisement received 
but one answer. Visit the sea, the streams 
and the woods and wherever you may be able 
to find nature’s tributes, tributes which will 
be so much ammunition for the long winter’s 
battles. We will try not to be slighted if you 
