JOURNAL AND f'ROCEEDINGS. 67 



MALACOLOGY. 



Read before the Geological Seciion, March 31st, i8^g. 



BY COL. C. C. GRANT, 



It may be necessary to explain my reason for retaining the term Univalve, 

 seldom used for the more modern " Gasteropod." I have heard visitors to the 

 Museum say they possess copies of old works on Conchology, brought from the 

 old country, and in several they may find this term employed without clearly 

 understanding the meaning. That it was an objectionable one may be admitted, 

 but the explanation seems necessary. The Gasteropods are known commonly as 

 land, fresh water, or sea snails, a synonymous term. 



It has been suggested, since so many of the modern MoUusca 

 are found fossiUzed, and the fine collection of Mrs. Carey is here 

 exhibited, many of its admirers might wish the writer to furnish a few 

 additional remarks to the paper published in the Proceedings of the 

 Hamilton Association for the years 1893-94, number X, 



Now, since my knowledge of Concology is extremely limited, I 

 may well hesitate to comply with the request. Hanham and Leslie, 

 who made a particular study of land snails and fresh water snails, 

 are no longer with us to unfold the tale regarding their occupants. 

 And Malachologists (members of the gentle science) would hardly 

 consider a mere collector as holding a recognized place among Con- 

 chologists. Bearing this in mind, with considerable reluctance I 

 venture a few remarks which may be of some little assistance in 

 enabling a few of our visitors to classify in a general way the family 

 groups to which their own acquired specimens belong. 



On a late occasion a visitor remarked : " Why are shells so 

 unlike as the ones you mention (^Mitres and Volutes) classified in 

 the same family group of Univalves ? " 



The former are a sub-genera of the latter, whose characteristics 

 are, according to a well-known writer on the Mollusca, " A plaited 

 pillar, eifuse aperture " (and notched in front may be added). The 

 simple rules of an old Conchologist may not exactly meet the views 



