Literature. 21 



an arrangement of the plants generally known as brodiaeas, under 

 several generic names, the reinstatement of Vogers Syrmatium, 

 and the descriptions of various new species — the result of his trip 

 to the island of Santa Cruz. 



The Natw'nal Drui^gLt, a weekly journal of St. Louis, is a 

 welcome addition to our exchange list. 



Prof. H. L. Osborn, of Purdue University, is acting editor of 

 the American Monthly Microscopical Journal until further notice, 

 during Prof. Hitchcock's residence in Japan. 



We have to acknowledgs the receipt of a set of the bulletins of 

 the American Museum of Natural History, Central Park, New 

 York. Also various pamphlets from the University of California. 



The Golden State Scientist is a new ei j^ht-page monthly, edited 

 and published by the well-known collector, E. M. Haight of 

 Riverside, California. 



A NEW GENUS OF CHAMIDAi. 

 Genus CORALLIOCHAMA (nov. gen.) 



(Bulletin No. 2.', U. S, Geological Survey.) 



Shells fixed by the apex of the lower, or right, valve, growing 

 separately or in clusters. Test thick, consisting of three layers, 

 the outer one being prismatic, the middle cellular, and the inner 

 porcellanous. The space which was occupied by the animal was 

 very small as compared with the bulk of the shell, and it is situat- 

 ed eccentrically. Lower valve irregularly subconical, more or 

 less distorted, much deeper than the other valve; beak distorted 

 as a consequence of its attichment to a foreign object; ligamental 

 groove more or less distinct, extending from the apex to the 

 hinge margin. Upper valve convex, its beak broad and incurved 

 to the hinge margin of the lower valve ; ligamental groove 

 marginal ; internal cavity partially divided into unequal parts by 

 a more or less prominent longitudinal septum. Hinge essentially 

 the same as that of Plagioptychus Matheron, Ichthyosarcolithes 

 Desmarest, and Caprina d'Orbigny. 



The test of both valves consists of a thin outer prismatic layer, 

 a thick cellular middle layer, and a thin porcellanous inner layer. 

 The middle layer constitutes the bulk of both valves. In the 

 lower valve it consists of slender angular thin-walled tubes which 

 extend the full length of the valve, increasing in number with the 

 increasing size of the shell, each tube being divided into small 

 cells by numerous thin transverse partitions. The structure thus 

 produced somewhat resembles that of a coral of the Favositide, 

 and it is also closely similar to that of corresponding parts of 

 Radiolites and Sphoerulites. The inner portion of the middle 



