58 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The Committee have been anxious to keep the varietal 

 nomenclature within reasonable bounds, believing that the best 

 interests of the study will be served by prudence and modera- 

 tion in this particular. 



A host of varieties of British species have been named by 

 Conchologists in England and elsewhere since the publication 

 of the Society's list in 1883, but while we are convinced that the 

 more distinct and striking forms of every species should be 

 definitely distinguished, we cannot assent to the publication of 

 distinct names for the slighter modifications which connect 

 together the specimens showing the strongly marked peculiarities 

 which alone should be accepted in the general nomenclature. 



Holding the opinion that varietal names should chiefly be 

 used to distinguish modifications which may be considered to 

 have a racial character, and are congenital and transmissible in 

 a greater or lesser degree to their offspring, we earnestly 

 deprecate the lavish institution of definite names to specimens 

 that are manifestly deformed, injured, or irregularly grown. 

 These abnormal shells may really be considered as mutilated 

 shells that have repaired the injuries sustained from adverse 

 surroundings. 



We cannot look for much difference in the organization of 

 the animal in varieties, but this point is often a crucial and 

 invaluable test of specific difference. 



One of the objects of discriminating varieties is to elicit 

 the laws or forces which tend to produce them, and this will be 

 all the sooner achieved if we bring prominently forward only 

 the more striking modifications to which each species is subject. 



The Slugs have during the past decade been very closely 

 and attentively studied ; the result being that no less than three 

 valid species of Arion have been added to the British list ; that 

 the specific distinctness of Testacella sciitulum has been con- 

 clusively proved, and that the specific nomenclature of Amalia 

 marginata and Limax arborum has been corrected. Details of 

 all these changes have been published in the ' Journal of 

 Conchology ' and elsewhere. 



J.C., vii., April, 1893. 



