TORSION IN MOLLUSCA. 



(The Presidential Address to the Conchological Society, November 13th, 1897). 



By Prof. S. J. HICKSON, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S. 



I think we may congratulate ourselves upon the steady progress our 

 society has made during the past year. Our meetings have been well 

 attended, and many of the papers that have been read and printed in 

 the journal have been of greater interest and importance than usual. 

 The valuable papers of Messrs. Melvill and Standen on the shells of 

 Lifu and Uvea form one of the most important contributions to 

 South Pacific conchology of recent years, and the interesting com- 

 munication made to us by Mr. Moss shows that our members are 

 fully aware of the important bearing of anatomical characters in the 

 arrangement and determination of species. 



We must all agree that our informal association with the Man- 

 chester Museum has been a great advantage to us. But the advantage 

 is not all on our side. If I were to paraphrase some remarks that fell 

 from the lips of Lord Salisbury when he was President of the British 

 Association, I might say that while as President of the Conchological 

 Society I express our sense of the value of our association with the 

 Museum, as a professor of the Museum I congratulate our staff on 

 the advantages we have gained by association with the Conchological 

 Society. 



I trust that in the future, while we strictly maintain our inde- 

 pendence and freedom of action, our connection with the Museum 

 may be continued and strengthened. 



Before proceeding to the subject of my address, I wish to take 

 this opportunity of calling your attention to an important meeting 

 which has been arranged to be held next year in Cambridge. For the 

 first time in its history, the International Congress of Zoology will 

 meet in England, and it is of great importance for all zoologists to 

 make an effort to render this meeting as successful as those that have 

 already been held. At the last meeting, held in Leyden, some very 

 important papers were read on subjects within the scope of our 

 society's interests, and I have very little doubt that next year several 

 distinguished foreign conchologists will visit England and give us the 

 rare opportunity of making their personal acquaintance. I trust, 

 therefore, that many of our members will join the Congress next 

 autumn, so that our Conchological Society may be well represented 

 in the International Congress of Zoologists. 



The subject of Torsion in the mollusca is one which must be of 

 great interest not only to those who are engaged in the study of shells 

 but also to those who have devoted their attention to the anatomical 



