EniTORIAL NOTES. 1 7 



to end of the /aiiellidir, and including the EndodputiJa:, HeUcidit, Enidce, Ptipil- 

 lidce, and C/a/is/'/r/dtE—m other words what are to the majority of conchologists 

 tlie most interesting and attractive groups of the Puhnonata. For convenience 

 iMr. Gude groups the four families of shigs together, without reference to their 

 systematic position. 



The total number of species recorded in this volume is 4S5, of which the two 

 families HelicidcC and Fenissatidcc account for exactly half, Glessula with 97 species 

 being the largest single genus. 



One turns first, naturally, to the CorilliiuF, of which, as is well known, Mr. Gude 

 has for many years made so special a study. His account, therefore, of the Indian 

 members of this sub-family is of particular importance, and we are glad to find that 

 almost every species is illustrated with figures, both of the shell and of its internal 

 armature. The practical value of these lamellie within the shell, in defending the 

 snail against the predatory attacks of insects, is well illustrated- by a quotation 

 from a paper of Godwin- Austen's : — "When breal^ing up a number of shells 

 {i.e., o{ Plectopylis\ to expose the barriers and ascertain if their characters were 

 constant, I was greatly interested to find in two instances the presence of small 

 insects that had become fixed between the teeth." It is interesting to find that the 

 genus Vallonia has four representatives in India, and that both V. ptikhella and 

 V. costala penetrate as far south as Kashmir. The Enida: are well developed with 

 31 species. Two s\\h-ger\ex2, oi E)ia — both confined to N.W. India — Mr. Gude 

 regards as palrearctlc immigrants, viz., SiLbzebrinus, which shows a close affinity 

 with Central Asiatic forms ; and Seriiia, with Chinese relationships. On the other 

 hand, the sub-genus Minis (a group which reaches to Japan) seems to be endemic. 



The Piipillidce d.xt represented by 23 sjiecies, including P. tnttsconn/t, of which 

 the Indian race is described as "always toothless, usually more slender, palatal 

 crest less developed " (var. asiaiica Mllff.). 



We welcome ihe disappearance of the uncouth-sounding name /aininia, and 

 hope that, as Pupa had to ^o, the stability of Papilla is now assured. 



Then follow Claiisiliida with 30 spp. ; Athaiiiiidiv (39 spp. ) ; Ferussacidce 

 (102 spp.); and Succineidiz with the curious genera Lithoiis, Caniptoiiyx, and 

 Caiiiptoceras. In the absence of anatomical details, the position of the last genus 

 is still uncertain, and Fischer placed it in the Physidcs. 



„ We have noticed a few trivial errors in the systematic index, e.g., Achatiua 

 fiisca Fer. for fiilica, while genus 2 of the Pupillidce appears as Colu>nel!a, whereas 

 on p. 40 it is called Sphyradiiuii. 



We can heartily congratulate Mr. Gude on the achievement of an eminently 

 sound and masterly piece of work. 



In a recent issue of the ^ Transactions of the North Staffordshire Field Club, 

 Mr. H. Overton has a very interesting paper on Holocene shells obtained at 

 Letoceium, the Roman station unearthed at Wall in Staffordshire. Thirly-six 

 species of land and freshwater mollusca are enumerated, of which only nine occur 

 in the locality at the present time. The most interesting species mentioned is 

 perhaps Hygroniia liberla Westerlund ( = H. sericea Drap. nee Miill.), while 

 Vallonia costata Miill., Helix aspersa Miill., H. neiiioralis L. , H. arbiistonnii L. , 

 and Piipilla cylifidracea daC. were more or less plentiful. Five marine species are 

 also listed, as well as a number of Mammals. 



I Trans. N. Staffs. Field Club, vol, xlix. , 1915, pp. 87— gi. 



