1 882.] American Work on Recent Mollusca in i88r. 955 



" Observations on the species of the genus Partula Fer., with a 

 bibliographic catalogue," by W. D. Hartman, M.D. (Bull. Mus. 

 Comp. Zool., ix, No. 5, 8vo, pp. 171-196, with two diagram 

 plates, Nov., 1881). 



This paper contains no descriptions of new species, but is a 

 succinct review of the genus in general, with a list of the species 

 with references to descriptions and figures ; a list of terrestrial 

 species as distinguished from those which live in trees; another 

 list of spurious species in which the reference to P. auriadata 

 Pfr., as a Tornatella would seem to be a typographical error. 

 There is also an account of an examination of two bushels of 

 duplicates from the Pease collection now in the possession of the 

 Mus. Comp. Zoology, and two plates of diagrammatic maps pre- 

 pared by Andrew Garrett, showing the distribution of the forms 

 of Partula on five of the Polynesian islands. It would seem as if 

 a very important contribution to the study of the origin of spe- 

 cies might be made by a keen eyed and competent observer who 

 should be willing to devote himself for a year or two to the study 

 of these extremely local races, their environment and hybridization, 

 on one of these islands. It is perhaps unnecessary to say that the 

 information in this paper is fuller and more accurate than is to be 

 elsewhere found on the same topic, and that it will be a welcome 

 contribution should Dr. Hartman complete, as it has been ru- 

 mored was his intention, a similar annotated synonymical cata- 

 logue of the Achatinellidae. 



Dr. W. D. Hartman has had printed " A Catalogue of the 

 genus Partula" (F. S. Hickman, West Chester, Pa., 1881, 8vo, pp. 

 14, cuts), enumerating the species with their synonyms, and divid- 

 ing them into two sections, of which one contains ten and the 

 other five subordinate groups, and these again are subdivided by- 

 characters of less importance. To the divisions of the sections 

 new names have been applied, and they are termed subgenera, 

 though the characters by which they are separated are superficial 

 rather than structural. These subgenera are as follows : Partula 

 {P /aba p. 6); Nenia (P. N. auriadata, Brqd. p. 7); Astraea [P. A. 

 dentifcra,Yix. p. 7 ; preoccupied in ccelenterates, 1789); Clytia (P. 

 C. umbilicata, Pse. p. 8 ; preoccupied in ccelenterates, 1812); Ilia 

 {P. I. l?t tea, Lesson, p. 8 ; preoccupied in Crustacea, 18 17); CEnone 

 {P. CE. hebe, Pfr. p. 9; preoccupied in vermes, 18 17); Helena {P. 

 #. Otaheitana, Brug. p. 9); Pasithea {P. P. spadicea, Reeve, p. 10 ; 



