SCIENCE-GOSSIP 



77 



the parielal armature was figured has the ciuter 

 wall of the last whorl broken away ; in a second 

 specimen— not <|uite mature — this portion of the 

 outer wall is also missing ; the upper horizontal 

 fold in the latter specimen is very short, and the 

 third (anterior) transverse fold has not been formed 

 {see fig. 104/*). A third specimen is entire ; but, as 

 the shell is soniewlmt translucent, I was enabled by 

 welting it to make out the conformation of its 

 palatal armature without much difficulty, and 

 the figure I have given of it represents 

 these structures as they would appear if 

 looked at from the inner side (see fig. I04rt). It will 

 be seen that the fir.st (upper) fold is almost horizontal ; 

 the second is longer, a little deflected posteriorly, 

 where it is also attenuated, but truncated anteriorly ; 

 the third is shorter, oblique, curved ; the fourth suli- 

 verlical, bilobed at its middle, and furnished on the 

 posterior side with two small denticles, one near its 

 middle, and one near its lower extremity ; the fifth is 

 sub-horizontal, and has its two extremities a little 

 deflected ; a little denticle occurs near its posterior 

 extremity. I'roni these features, hitherto unrecorded, 

 it will be seen that this species belongs to the group 

 of /'. pciisotibyi, its nearest ally being /'. leiHochita 

 (SciENCK-Gcssii', iv., p. 231, fig. 66). Since the 

 foregoing remarks were written, I have been so for- 

 timatc as to acquire a specimen of /'. feddmi, appar- 



THK CAR 



ALTII()L'(;il iIk- card index is frequently met 

 with in public libraries and other uislitutions, 

 one seldom sees it in private use. This has often 

 proved a source of wonder when we consider 

 its value as a time economiser. The system 

 is so simple, and a book or other object is so 

 readily found by its aid, that we feel sure if the 

 index cabinets of the Library Supply Company, 

 of 4, .Vve Maria Lane, London, were lietter 

 known, they would soon be considered indispens- 

 able. We, therefore, figure one with the object 

 of enabling our readers to save valualjle time. 



ently communicated by Mr. Ifungerford lo Mr. 

 Langdon. This specimen, also, has only two trans- 

 verse parietal folds, so that it is somewhat uncertain 

 whether the third (anterior) transverse fold is of any 

 diagnostic value. 



t'leclopylts sh'anensis (fig. 105.) (See SflKNCE- 

 Gossil', iv., p. 36, fig. 48). I append a figure acci- 



Fig. 105. — Plectopylis shaitensis, 

 dentally omitted, giving a view of the shell, with part 

 of the outer wall removed, exposing the parietal 

 armature. 



Mr. Pononljy has drawn my attention to an erron- 

 eous statement on page 17, with regard to'his speci- 

 men of 1'. biciliala which, he informs me, was not 

 collected by Mr. CoUett, but came from the Morelet 

 Collection, labelled as from Neville. 



.Ml known fonns of rUctopylis have now been con- 

 sidered; and I propose to conclude this series of papers 

 with a synopsis, a key to the species, a map showing 

 their geographical distribution, and a general index. 

 (7b bt- coutinucd.) 



D INDEX. 



or other contrivance, which admits the withdrawal ol 

 insertion of any card without disturbing the arrange- 

 ment of the others. Useful devices are provided in 

 the card drawers, to give the cards the proper slope for 

 easy reading, and to facilitate reference. It is, there- 

 fore, just as easy to find a name in a card inde.x of 

 I,ocx3,ooo names, as in one of 100 names. 



Card indexes are used by Bankers for reference to 

 signatures, by Insurance Companies for indexing 

 policies, by Railway Companies for rolling-stock and 

 names of their employees. In fact there seem;! to be 

 no end to its uses and convenience. For scientific 



Small Card In[ik\ Cabinkt. 



Though originally introduced for library purposes 

 the card-indexing system has extended to most 

 objects where there are frequent additions or 

 obliterations. A card index consists of a series of 

 cards of exactly the same size, printed or ruled 

 .according to the nature of the matter to be indexed, 

 and arranged on some pre-conceived plan, either 

 alphabetically, numerically, or chronologically, in 

 trays or drawers. The cards are held in place by a rod 



purposes it is admirable for indexing collections, 

 localities, and scientific notes. Much valuable 

 observation is lost on account of want of system in 

 record. We have all known eminent observers who 

 were full of knowledge, but in time passed away leaving 

 hardly any record of their life's work. Some organised' 

 plan, such as would be rendered easy by a card index, 

 might have left a series of notes for future coUatioUy 

 forming an intellectual legacy for posterity. 



