264 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
25st MEETING, JULY 8th, 1896. 
Held in the Manchester Museum, Owens College. 
Mr. Thos. Rogers in the chair. 
Donations to the Library announced and thanks voted : 
Annals of Scottish Natural History, No. 19, July, 1896; Journal of 
Malacology, vol. 5, No. 2, June, 1896; Science Gossip, vol. 3, No. 26, 
July, 1896; The Naturalist, No. 252, July, 1896; Transactions and Annual 
Report, 1895, Manchester Microscopical Society ; Transactions of Academy 
of Science of St. Louis, vol. 6, No. 7; Annual Report, Geological Survey of 
Canada, vol. 6, 1892-3; Annual Report, Chicago Academy of Science, 1895 ; 
Bulletin, Chicago Academy of Science, vol. 2, No. 2; ‘Preliminary Outline 
of anew Classification of the family Muricide,” by F. C. Baker ; Proceedings 
of the Royal Physical Society, 1894-5; Bihang till Kongl Svenska Veten- 
skaps Akademiens Handlingar, part 4; Jahresheft des Natur. Ver. des 
Trencsiner Comitates, 1894-5 ; Archivos do Museu Nacional do Rio de 
Janeiro, vol. 8; from the Smithsonian Institution, U.S. National Museum : 
“Classification and Geographical Distribution of the Pearly Freshwater 
Mussels,” by C. T. Simpson—‘‘ Diagnosis of New Tertiary Fossils from the 
Southern United States,” by W. H. Dall—‘‘ Diagnosis of New Species of 
Mullusks from the West Coast of America,” by W. H. Dall—‘“ Diagnosis of 
New Mollusks from the Survey of the Mexican Boundary,” by W. H. Dall 
— Description of four New Triassic Unios from the Haked Plains of 
Texas,” by W. H. Dall; from Mr. W. J. Webb, ‘‘ The Museum,” No. 7, 
vol. 2, Catalogue of W. J. Webb, 1896; ‘‘ Yorkshire Carboniferous Flora,” 
fifth report ; from the Authors, ‘‘ Further Conchological Notes from the 
West of Ireland,” by E. Collier and R. Standen. 
Letter read: 
The following letter to the Editor was read :— 
‘* SISSINGHURST VICARAGE, 
‘“CRANBROOK, KENT, 
““ DEAR SIR, July 4th, 1896. 
“I do not know whether it is possible so to do, but I should think 
I ought to have some opportunity (if you will kindly permit) of reply. 
ing to the criticism of my paper in ‘ Devonia,’ which has just appeared 
in the ‘ Journal of Conchology,’ 
‘<¢In the present state of nomenclature,’ the writer would appear 
to think, varieties ought to be inaugurated publicly and privately, 
without any compunction. Or is it possible that his sibylline sentence 
means that I am not acquainted with ‘the present state of nomen- 
clature ’ ? 
‘<If I distinctly state in the immediate context that I do not 
desire anyone to add these to the number of existing synonyms, surely 
the person who does so is from my point of view ‘incomprehensible.’ 
“The utility of such MS. names, or temporary varietal names, 
surely does not need elaborate proof. It would be well, in my 
J.C., viii., Oct. 1896. 
