414 
ZOOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 
Vivipara contectoicles (Bimiey). J. Lewis has made an attempt at accli- 
matizing it in the Mohawk River and Erie Canal. Silliiuan’s Journal; xlv. 
1868; p. 137. 
d. Palceontology of liecent Species. 
The observations of G. Lindstiiom confirm the theory of Prof. Lov^n, viz. 
that in the postglacial time there was a period during which Germanic 
marine shells were more widely distributed in the Baltic than at present; 
Litorina litorea and L. rudis var. tenehrosu P being found only in the older 
postglacial deposits of the island of Gotland. Gotlands nutida Mollusker; 
pp. 44-46. 
Dreissena polymorpha and Cqrdium edide have been found (extinct) in the 
desert of Kara-kum, north of the Syrdaija river; proving that Lake Aral 
had; in not very remote times, a much greater extent than at present. G. v. 
HelmerseU; Bull. Ac. Sc. St. Petersb. 1868; pp. 23-25. 
Some species of land-snails; new, but nearly allied to species now living 
in the same island, have been found by A. Grandidier in Madagascar in a 
fossil state, with the eggs of JEpyornis, and are described by II. Crosse and 
P. Fischer, Journ. Conch, xvi. pp. 180-187, pi. 7. They are Bidimus gran- 
didieri and suhobtusatus, Cyclostoma {Otojmma?) grandidieri, with an im- 
perfect Helix and a variety of the recent Btdimus Jlavanni (Lam.). 
Classification in general. 
Dr. J. E. Graves introductory remarks to his Notes on tlie 
Calyptrceidce in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 732, are reprinted, under 
the title the manufacturing of genera and species of modern 
authors, and on the nomenclature of the Cumingian Collection,’^ 
in Am. Journ. Conch, iv. pp. 201-208. 
CEPHALOPODA. 
Dr. P. Bert’s memoir on the physiology of Sepia officinalis 
(Mem. Soc. Sc. Phys. et Nat. de Bordeaux, v. 1867, pp. 115- 
138) contains much valuable information. We can only point 
out some of the numerous results. The large ganglion-mass 
situated above the oesophagus is quite insensible and inexcitable ; 
it can be taken away without signs of pain to the animal ; and 
after it has been taken away the animal is able to execute all 
its usual movements, if they are provoked by external irrita- 
tion j but the voluntary action is lost. Therefore this part of 
the nervous system has the same function as the hemispheres 
of the cerebrum in Vertebrates. The ganglion-mass below the 
oesophagus is necessary for regulating the movements ; it is excit- 
able, and produces reflex motions. On the ganglion en patte 
d’oie ’’ depend the movements of the arms ; the stellated or 
pallial ganglion is destined for the mantle, and has not shown 
any reflex motions. Not only the contents of the salivary 
glands are decidedly acid (compare Panceri’s observations on 
Cassis &c.), but also the mixed secretions of the liver, the so- 
