422 JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 
BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
(LIMITED TO WORKS RECEIVED BY THE SOCIETY’S LIBRARIAN). 
A Monograph of the Land and Freshwater Mollusca of the 
British Isles, by J. W. Taytor. Parts 2, 3, and 4, 1895-97. 
Since the publication (J. of Conch., vol. 7, 1894, p. 432) of our notice 
of part 1 of the Monograph, three additional numbers have been issued. 
Part 2 deals with variation in structure, in colour, and in the thickness of 
the shell, and also with the bands, with monstrosities, and with the 
operculum. The drawings are mostly excellent, but the principal feature is 
the coloured plate, which contains some real works of art (figures 2 and 3). 
It is to be regretted, though, that the author persists in adhering to the 
objectionable and unscientific practice of bestowing Latin names on every 
form of monstrosity, such as Helix nemoralis monst. scalariforme Taylor, 
Planorbis carinatus monst. stnistrorsim Taylor. 
After reading more than one hundred pages on the molluscan shell, and 
after the careful treatment of its variation in size and colour, we should have 
expected to hear something concerning these points in the animal, especially 
in those forms among the British terrestrial mollusca (slugs), where the shell 
is almost structureless, and only of secondary importance. Dr. Simroth’s 
views on the colour of slugs and the interesting observations which have 
been made to determine the cause of the colouration, should have been fully 
discussed. But, though seven pages in part 3 are devoted to the animal, 
these important points are not even alluded to. We have here a real griev- 
ance which is all the more palpable as the author row enlarges, to what 
seems an unnecessary extent, on anatomical details. 
No less than nineteen pages are filled with minute descriptions of the 
internal structure of Helix aspfersa, and about the same space is allotted to 
Anodonta cygnea. All this might easily have been dispensed with, since we 
are promised (p. 184) a still further account of their various organs later on, 
of which a portion is contained in part 4. It is true that in the pages 
referred to, students of malacology, still unacquainted with the beautiful 
drawings of the masterpieces of dissection by Professor Howes, are given 
an opportunity of seeing his choicest works rendered in excellently executed 
prints. But it must be remembered that it still remains for the author of 
the Monograph to acquaint us fully with the development, origin, past 
history, geographical distribution, and habits of the British mollusca before 
he can begin the description of the individual species, and it would be well 
to expedite the issue of the succeeding parts. 
Having now dealt with a few points in this work which seemed to us to 
call for criticism, it gives us much pleasure in conclusion to express our sense 
of the value of the work asa whole. The author has evidently spared no 
pains in ransacking zoological literature in order to find suitable original 
figures of all the parts and organs of our British species, with the result that 
no malacological work, we believe, has ever been published containing such 
a wealth of admirable illustrations and printed in such good style, whilst the 
author throughout expresses himself well and clearly. 
J.C., vili., July, 1897. 
