Descriptions of Some Varieties of Shells, 
with Short Notes on the Geographical Range 
and Means of Distribution of Land Shells 
BY HENRY HEMPHILL 
The study of variation among Mollusks involves the consideration 
of the laws of life, if one desires to understand or ascertain the cause 
or causes that produces all this great diversity that we see in every 
department of nature, 
Briefly, life as I understand it, consists of energy moulding mat- 
ler into form and of expressing through those forms, not only the 
Objects of life, but also the properties of matter, 
An organism is a specialized portion of energy and matter, sep- 
arated from the great mass, and endowed with organs that have fune- 
tions for performing special work necessary in the economy of the 
Creature, all of which act in harmony with the class to which the 
organism belongs. 
Development is the fundamental law of growth, and nature’s 
Sreat working basis in organic evolution, and should be the working 
basis of every student of her laws. 
Diversity, or variation as it is frequently called, is the detail 
Work of development and evolution, if we can separate the action 
and meaning of these two closely related terms. 
The fundamental law of equilibrium presides over all of nature’s 
laws. It is dual in its activities; radiates, so to speak, from a common 
Center in opposite directions, and adjusts diversity by developing 
°Pposite varieties of equal weight, quality value and importance in 
‘ach class of organisms, and generally maintains or keeps the union or 
umty of nature complete. 
MUREX CARPENTERI TREMPERI, HEMPH. 
Murex carpenteri, Dall., has been deseribed as, of a “livid brown 
Color, pinkish towards the apex and whitish around the aperture”’ 
have in my collection one specimen dark reddish brown in color, 
with a dash of white along the columellar side of the aperture; an- 
