56 JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
The Cambridge Natural History. Vol. III. Molluscs. by the Rev. 
A. H. Cooke; Brachiopods (recent). by A. E. Shipley ; Brachiopods 
(fossil), by F. R. C. Reed. London: Macmillan, 535 pp., 8vo., maps 
and cuts ; price 17/-. 
The present volume, although the third in respect of the complete 
scheme of the work, is the first to appear of a new treatise on zoology, 
which is edited and for the most part written by Cambridge men, and ‘‘is 
intended, in the first instance, for those who have not had any special scien- 
tific training, and who are not necessarily acquainted with scientific language. 
At the same time, an attempt is made not only to combine popular treat- 
ment with the latest results of modern scientific research, but to make the 
volumes useful to those who may be regarded as serious students in the 
various subjects.” It will be seen from these extracts from the prospectus 
that the work could hardly have been planned on lines better fitted to meet 
the requirements of the members of the Conchological Society. 
Turning to the contents of the book itself, we find at the outset a tabular 
statement of the classification adopted. The arrangement of the Cephalopoda 
presents no noteworthy features, except that it professes to follow that given 
in the ‘Challenger’ Reports, but does not. The Gastropoda (or Gasteropoda 
as Mr. Cooke prefers to write the word) are divided into Amphzneura, 
Pi osobranchiata, Opesthobranchiata, and Pulmonata. The Prosobranchiata 
are sub-divided, firstly in accordance with the number of auricles in the 
heart, and secondly according to theform of the radula. Among the Ofzstho- 
branchiata, we notice the inclusion of the Pterxofoda, which, however, are 
still retained as one group and not divided between the Bulloid and Aply- 
sioid Tectibranchs,as by Pelseneer. This appears to us rather a half-hearted 
proceeding. The Bivalves, for which the name Pe/ecypoda is (rightly, in our 
opinion) adopted, are classified according to the anatomical scheme, based 
mainly on the gills, of Pilseneer. This is doubtless a great advance on 
the artificial system of Fischer’s well-known text-book, and is probably the 
best which has been hitherto propounded, though the way in which it runs 
counter to some of Neumayr’s beautiful palzeontological series renders it open 
to suspicion in certain directions. 
The earlier chapters of the work discuss general questions, such as 
‘Origin of land and fresh-water mollusca; their habits and general economy.’ 
The important topic of ‘Variation’ is discussed in fourteen pages, and appre- 
ciative reference is made to our President’s memoir in vol. v. of this Journal. 
We would especially commend to the notice of all our collectors, the figures 
on page 90. We should much like to erase the names from it, and then 
hand it round as a kind of picture puzzle, and ask the views of conchologists 
as the number of species there represented. Particularly interesting reading 
will be found in chapter iv., which treats of the decorative and economic 
uses of mollusca, including the rate of exchange at which cowries pass for 
money, the use of bivalve hinges as bills and receipts, pearls and pearl 
J.C, viit., Apr. 1895) 
