‘the Family Osteodesmacea. 169 
this country at least, and, whethéw’such is the ease or 
not, there being no valid ‘genus ‘existing, to which the 
species in question ean be referred ; it is proposed to 
. Supply the deficiency by the creation of a: new genus 
for their reception, nnder the nàme of CocHLODESMA, 
to follow immediately in the suite of M. Deshayes’s 
family Osteodesmacea. Should this be adopted, it will 
receive several shells formerly classed by Mr. Montagu, 
in his genus Ligula, which was so loosely characterized, ' 
and embraced species differing so widely in generic 
traits, that it is believed to have been adopted by no 
subsequent author. M. Deshayes, in noticing it in his 
continuation of Bruguiére's Vers, Encyc. Meth., gives 
ES a reason for its suppression, that it is “ synonymous 
Amp à; hos has supplanted it." This is 
as, although it. included. some of 
e A a vas unfortunately, iot in my power, at 1 e time of 
SESS obtaining the specimens which served me for charac- 
Len terizing the genus; to procure any having the animal 
; sufficiently perfect for minute details: They were picked 
up on the beach near Sandy Hook, at thé entrance of 
ax York harbor, after an easterly gale, chiefly in a 
dried state ; and although on immersion in water 
a the firmer parts were clearly developed, the branchie _ 
"were 50 ix ed ; structure could not be as- 
it is EN on the shores of. Cape 
: it tihe A some one will examine the . 
animal, and sup deficiency here existing. The 
