1881. ] Recent Mollusca during the year 1880. 705 
not sustained any other loss during the past year, though the 
death of Professor Haldeman recalls the excellent work done in 
that department by him, many years ago. | 
The recorder would particularly request from authors, early 
' copies of any papers bearing on malacological topics,’ in order 
that this record may, in future, be more promptly prepared. 
This is especially desirable when the article is published in any 
of the semi-scientific periodicals of small circulation and uncer- 
tain tenure of existence, which appear from time to time, fulfill a 
certain good purpose, but usually demonstrate their unfitness for 
serving as a medium of communication with the scientific world, 
by a pervasive eruption of advertiséments in the text, a feverish 
craving for clippings and a rapid descent into an early grave. 
The year has been marked by no extraordinary discoveries in 
the biology of mollusks, but a fair amount of creditable work has 
been done, of which, perhaps, a larger portion than usual is of a 
high character. Several investigations of great interest are in 
progress, but it has seemed best to confine the record to such as 
has been irrevocably placed before the scientific world by pub- 
lication. 
General Works—Mr. Tryon’s Manual of Conchology has pro- 
gressed, during the year, to the first part of the third volume. 
Volume second contains the Muricine and Purpurinz, com- 
prising two hundred and ninety pages and four hundred and 
forty-two figures on seventy plates. Volume three, of which part 
One appeared in the last days of the year, is to contain the Tri- 
tonide, Fuside and Buccinide. 
Anatomy, Physiology and Development.—The most valuable 
work in this department, in 1880 as in 1879, is due to the labors 
of Professor W. K. Brooks. “ Studies from the Biological Labo- 
ratory of the Johns Hopkins University ” (Vol. 1, Part Iv), con- 
tains a memoir on “The development of the American oyster, 
Ostrea virginiana List.” (pp. 1-104, pl. 1-x), which also appears in 
the Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries of Maryland for 
1880; and an article on “The acquisition and loss of a Food 
Yolk in Molluscan eggs” (pp. 105-116, pl. x1). The researches 
on the oyster having been undertaken at the instigation of the 
Maryland Fish Commissioners, the first thirty-four pages of this 
Memoir contain in untechnical, but quite sufficiently exact phrase- 
‘Which may be sent care of the Smithsonian Institution. 
VOL. XV.—NO, IX, 49 
