BIKl.IOCRAPHY. 75 



before Oleacina of Bolten. It appears that only about half of these genera are at 

 all adequately known anatomically, three being totally unknown, so that a stable 

 classification is not yet possible. 



It may be noted that the new specific name oi Poirelia woodi is given to '^Biilinius 

 convexits S. V. Wood (1877), nee Pfeiffer (1855), an Oligocene shell from the Isle 

 of Wight of somewhat uncertain position. 



The other family, Ferussacidcs, Dr. I'iisbry tells us he retains "simply as a tem- 

 porary arrangement, pending more exact knowledge of the several genera." He 

 would not hesitate to include Cochlicopa, Azeca, and Citcilioides in the Achatinel- 

 lidcE (? Achalinidie), were it not that some place must be found for Coilostcle, 

 Gkssula, and other genera, of whose anatomy the knowledge is not yet forth- 

 coming. 



As constituted, Femssacidx consists of ten genera, viz. : Ferussacia, Crypiazeca, 

 Calaxis, Digoniaxis, Azeca, Cochlicopa, Hohemuartiana, Ccccilioides, Coiloslek, and 

 Gkssula ; but Pilsbry evidently anticipates its eventual dismemberment, as he 

 says that, while the pallial organs of Cochlicopa only are known, the other organs 

 differ so widely in this genus and Ferussacia, that they can hardly be members of 

 one family. 



Under Cochlicopa, he gives a very complete and exhaustive account of C. lubrica 

 (Muller), with all its races and varieties. Two sinistral examples from the conti- 

 nent are on record. He considers that all the variously named dwarf forms are 

 local races, corresponding to drier local conditions, rather than a homogeneous 

 race, and groups them under the name of var. lubricella "Ziegler" Stabile. 



Dr. Pilsbry has already given the ^ reasons which induce him to call our Azeca 

 A. menkeana goodalli P'er. , but we do not feel convinced of the necessity for adopt- 

 ing this rather cumbrous name. The well-known Chondriila /r/a'^wj (Muller) was 

 described as a ^ Helix, and it does not seem to us to follow that because this species 

 was subsequently placed by *Gmelin in Turbo, Pulteney's Turbo tridens falls, how- 

 ever faulty the description or whatever the misconception, provided that there is no 

 real doubt what Pulteney's shell was. The possibility of doubt, as Dr. Pilsbry 

 admits, is quite set at rest by Montagu. 



Under Ccecilioides acicula (MUUer) we have the history of the name C. anglica, 

 which was described by "Bourguignat simply from Reeve's figure of C. acicula in 

 the Conch. Icon., this figure being also reproduced on a larger scale. Bourguignat 

 differentiates our shell on the ground of its larger size, more convex whorls, deeper 

 suture, rounded aperture, and strongly truncate columella. Whether these char- 

 acters are constant, and of specific or subspecific value, is a point that has never 

 — as far as we know — been discussed by English conchologists. 



A Guide to the Natural History of the Isle of Wight. Edited by Fkank 



MOREY, F.L.S. (The County Press, Newport, Isle of Wight; and Wesley 



and Son, 28, Essex Street, Strand, W.C. ; price 8/6 net). 



This comprehensive volume of 560 pages, with 28 full-page photographs, 4 cliff- 

 sections, and an excellent map, consists (as the title-page tells us) of a series of 

 contributions by specialists relating to the various branches of natural history and 

 kindred subjects. These contributions take the form of complete and well- 

 annotated lists, with interesting introductions to each. 



There is a capital outline of the geology of the island by Mr. G. W. Colenutt, 

 F.G.S. 



1 cA Taylor's Rloii. L. and F.W. Moll. Krit. Is., II., p. 29. 



2 /. of Conch., vol. 12, p. 137. 



3 Muller, Verm. Hist. (1774), II., p. 106. 



4 Gmelin, Syst. Nat. (1788), p. 361 1. 



5 Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1856, p. 384, pi. 12, figs. 4, 5. 



