596 REPORT—1863. 
Page. Plate. Fig. 
194, VI. 8.  Avxinea Barbarensis, Conr. Los Angeles. eae rae: | 
” Vit. 3. ? Mactra Gabiotensis, Cony. Gaviote Pass. May be a Schi- 
sodesma. Associated with Mytilus sp. and Infundibulum 
Gabiotensis. 
3 Vil. 5. Glycimeris Estrellanus, Cony. Panza and Hstrella Valleys. 
Allied to Panopea reflera, Say. [?=P. generosa, Gld. | 
195. Perna montana, Cony. §8. Buenaventura. Allied to P. mavillata. 
VIL. 3. Trochita costellata, Cony. Gaviote Pass. 
ke VLE 4; Turritella Inezana, Cony. Sta. Inez Mts. 
Pap ped U0 eels Turritella variata, Cony. Sta. Inez Mts. 
i X. 5,6. Natica Inezana, Cony. [?Lunatia Lewisii.] Sta. Iiiez Mts. 
As before, the fossils appear to be in very bad condition. The succeeding 
paleontologists who have to identify from them are not to be envied. Their 
principal value is to show what remains in store for future explorers. The 
extreme beauty of preservation in the fossils collected by Col. Jewett, rivalling 
those of the Paris Basin, and sometimes surpassing the conspecific living 
shells, makes us astonished that so large a staff of eminent men, employed 
by the Government, made such poor instalments of contribution to malacolo- 
gical science. The plan, too often followed, of remunerating naturalists, not 
according to the skilled labour they bestow, but according to the number of 
“new species” they describe, is greatly to be deprecated. Further knowledge 
concerning the old species may be more important in scientific inquiries than 
the mere naming of new forms. It is generally a much harder task to per- 
form, and, therefore, more deserving of substantial as well as of honourable 
acknowledgment. 
101, The shells collected on the North Pacific Railroad Survey were in- 
trusted to W. Cooper, Esq., of Hoboken, New Jersey, for description: Dr. 
Gould being occupied with preparing the diagnoses of the N. Pacific E. E. 
species. Judge Cooper was at that time the only naturalist in America known 
to be actively engaged in studying the marine shells of the West Coast, of 
which he has a remarkably valuable collection. He had rendered very valu- 
able service to the Smithsonian Institution by naming their specimens. Un- 
fortunately, there is such great difficulty even in New York city (of which 
Hoboken is a suburb) in obtaining access to typically named shells, as well as 
to many necessary books *, that, notwithstanding the greatest care, errors of 
determination are almost sure to arise. 
The “ Report upon the Mollusca collected on the Survey, by Wm. Cooper,” 
forms No. 6 of the Appendix, pp. 369-386, and errata. (Unfortunately the 
* Both Judge Cooper and Dr. Lea informed me (1860) that they had not been able 
even to see a copy of the plates to the U. 8. Expl. Exped. Mollusca. Through special 
favour, I was enabled to obtain a series of the proofs to work by. The Smithsonian Insti- 
tution, though intrusted with the keeping of the collections, was not fayoured with a copy 
until after the war began, when the whole series was granted by Congress. Senator 
Hale, of New Hampshire, is reported to have spoken and voted for the motion “in order 
that the two greatest humbugs (viz. the Exploring Expedition and the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution) might go together.’ Judge Cooper had derived great assistance from the British 
Association Report, and has communicated many corrections in it. In the alterations of 
synonymy, and in defining the limits of specific variation, I have had the benefit of his 
counsel and experience; and have rarely felt compelled to differ from him. Having him- 
self collected extensively in the West Indies, he had excellent opportunities of comparing 
fresh specimens from the now separated oceans. Iwas fortunate enough to meet his son, 
Dr. J. G. Cooper, at the Smithsonian Institution, and to examine the types of the species 
he collected (which are here enumerated) with the advantage of his memory and know- 
ledge. His later contributions to the malacology of W. America will be afterwards enu- 
merated: his valuable Treatise on the Forests and Trees of North America will be found 
in the Smithsonian Reports, 1858, pp. 246-280, 
