1893.] Recent Literature. 995 
“In the Homoptera, as will be noticed, there are some interesting 
new species, especially in the family Psyllide, but until they are care- 
fully compared I do not feel justified in making any remarks upon 
them, nor have I time just now to characterize the undetermined forms 
which I prefer to do in connection with the very many new species in 
the National Collection to which I have already given much study. ” 
Mr. S. W. Williston prefaces a report on the Diptera as follows : 
“That the larger part of the collection of Diptera from Death Valley 
and the adjoining regions sent me for determination by Professor 
Riley should be new to science is not strange, inasmuch as they are, for 
the greater part, members of families which have been but little 
studied in America. The collection is of considerable interest as add- 
ing three European or African genera hitherto unrecorded from Amer- 
ica, among which the wingless Apterinais the most remarkable. After 
a careful search I have found it necessary to describe two new genera 
—one among the Dexiidz, the other an Ephydrinid. " 
The Land and Fresh Water Shells were examined and reported on 
by Mr. Robert E. C. Stearns, who refers to the more important ones 
in the following language. 
“The more interesting forms obtained were the two species hereto- 
fore referred to Tryonia, until recently regarded as obsolescent or 
absolutely extinct, but which were found to be living, as elsewhere 
remarked. Helix magdalenensis, another interesting species described 
from examples collected in the Mexican State of Sonora in 1889-90 by 
Mr. Bailey, of Dr. Merriam’s Division of Biological Exploration, was 
detected by Fisher and Nelson several degrees of latitude farther to the 
north than the habitat of Bailey’s original examples and at a very 
much higher altitude. This latter, by its presence at this northerly 
station, contributes to our previous knowledge and data bearing upon 
the relations between the geographical distribution of species and 
environmental conditions or influences; and two fresh water forms, not 
before known, were added to the Molluscan fauna of the region tra- 
versed by the expedition. ” 
This report is one of the valuable results of the establishment of the 
Division of Animal Industry of the Agricultural Department. We 
hope that the recent reductions in the force of the Department by the 
present Secretary has not affected the efficiency of the Division, as sci- 
ence in general and Agriculture in some of its aspects, would materially 
suffer.—E. D. Corr. 
d 
