4758 Notices of New Books. 



1 Mollusca Testacea Marium Britannicorum. A History of the British 

 Marine Testaceous Mollusca 9 dislributedin their Natural Order, 

 on the Basis of the Organization of the Animals; with References 

 and Notes on every British Species." By William Clark. 

 London: Van Voorst. 1855. 536 pp. 8vo. Price lbs. 



This is just one of those books that we take up to study, rather 

 than to criticise. It is full of information — full of the result of deep, 

 reflective, patient study : a considerable portion has already appeared 

 in the 'Annals and Magazine of Natural History;' but the author, 

 having calculated that four years would be occupied in completing the 

 entire work in that journal, and considering it would be almost pre- 

 sumptuous in him to calculate on being able to watch the publication 

 during so long a period, determined on printing the whole in a collective 

 form. There are no plates and no descriptions of shells : these wants 

 Mr. Clark considers supplied by his continued references to Forbes 

 and Hanley's ' British Mollusca.' No one can peruse this important 

 volume without perceiving that the question of the scientific importance 

 of the shell is now tested in the most severe manner; the animal has 

 long been gradually crawling into importance ; but we were scarcely 

 prepared to see a dozen species dwindle into one, because, however 

 different the shells, the animals were alike. A graver question is 

 opened up than at first meets the eyes : Mr. Clark, by his own labours, 

 is placed in direct antagonism to Forbes and Hanley, whose work 

 on the British Mollusca he himself applauds, and concerning which a 

 phrase of unqualified approbation has been stereotyped for the use of 

 all future commentators. We proceed to prove this antagonism ; it 

 were unjust simply to record the impression made on ourselves by a 

 perusal, however attentive. We close the book, and it opens spon- 

 taneously at p. 342 : we proceed to quote : — 



" L. rudis, Donovan. 



" L. rudis, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 32, pi. 83, f. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and pi. 86, 

 f. 1. 



"L. patula, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 36, pi. 85, f. 6—10, animal, pi. G G, 

 f. 2. 



"L. tenebrosa, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 39, pi. 84, f. 11, 12, and pt. 85, 

 f. 1, 5. 



" L. saxatilis, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 43, pi. 86, f. 45. 



"L. fabalis, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 49, pi. 86, f. 2, 3. 



"L. palliata, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 51, pi. 84, f. 8, 9, 10." 



