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THE NAUTILUS.
depended upon with certainty. " A few drops of a 5 per cent, solu- tion of cocain were mixed with the water in which the Aplysias were. After a time they expanded fully. They were then left in the solution (twelve hours or more) till no contraction took place when removed and put into weak alcohol. If contraction took place, they would be put back into the cocain solution when they again expanded. This was repeated till no contraction took place, when they could, after a time, be put into stronger alcohol." — Natural Sfience, March, 1896.
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
A LIST OF THE SPECIES OF AMPHIDROMUS ALBERS, WITH CRIT- ICAL NOTES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME HITHERTO UNDESCRIBED SPECIES AND VARIETIES. By Hugh Fulton (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., January, 1896). The species of this difficult genus of Bulinii are arranged according to their affinities in groups ; the synonymy is thoroughly overhauled, and several new forms are described. Mr. Fulton has done good service in reducing to varietal rank a large number of nominal species, which have caused collectors endless pains and confusion ; his treatment of the pervertus group being espe- cially commendable. Three excellent lithographic plates illustrate new or previously unfigured species and varieties.
EECOLTE DES MOLLUSQUES ; CONSEILS AUX VOYAGEURS, par A. Bavay. Instructions for collecting mollusks, land, fresh-water and marine, with quite full information on where to find them.
CATALOGUE OF THE SPECIES OF CORBICULIDVE IN THE COLLEC- TION OF TEMPLE PRIME NOW FORMING PART OF THE COLLECTION OF THE MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY AT CAMBRIDGE, MASS. —By Temple Prime, 1895. — The species are arranged geographic- ally and under each species are arranged by letters, the synonymy and the various localities represented. Of the genus Corbicula there are 58 species ; Jiiiti^n 8 ; VeloriLa 3 ; Cijrrim 42 recent, and 2.'> fossil; Sphagnum 23 recent and 2 fossil; Limosina 10; PisidiumSl recent and 2 fossil.
BULLETIN OF THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Vol. II, No. 11, 1895. — Preliminary Outline of a New Classification of the Family Muricidir, by F. C. Baker.
I I I I
I I I I I I • l
• » • i
I I » I »
• I « , I I i I
THE
NAUTILUS.
A MONTHLY JOURNAL
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF
CONCHOLOGISTS.
VOL. X. MAY, 1896, to APRIL, 1897.
PHILADELPHIA : Published by H. A. PILSBRY and C. W. JOHNSON.
INDEX
TO
THE NAUTILUS, VOL X.
IXDEX TO TITLES AND SPECIES DESCRIBED.
Achatinellida?, description of two new species 31
Agriolimax campestris in the Pecos Valley, N. M. ... 35
Amaatra aurostoma, n. sp 31
American Association of Concliologists 94
Amnicolidse, note on the genera of South American ... 119
Anctus (?) Stearnsianus Pilsbry, n. sp 41
Arion hortensis in green-house, Seattle, Wash 70
Aspergillum giganteum Sowb 23
Bahia, Brazil, list of mollusks collected by Dr. H. von
Ihering 121
Buliniiilus hypodon Pilsbry, n. sp 102
Bulinuilus lamellifer Pilsbry, n. sp 103
Bulimus, a new species of 41
Bulimus galericulum Mouss., on the generic position of . 109
Bulimus Hanleyi and B. coronatus, note on 46
Callista varians Hanley in eastern Florida 70
Callistochiton decoratus var. punctocostatus Pilsbry, n. var. 50
Campbell, John H., in memoriam 116
Campeloma decisum Say, reversed 118
Carychium exile, note on 12
Casco Bay Notes 73
Chitons, notes on some West American 49
Chondropoma (Ctenopoma) Bahamense Shutt at Key West 96
Cochlicella ventricosa Drap. near Charleston, S. C. . . . 105
Conrad, Timothy Abbott 110
Cuttle fishes washed ashore in San Pedro Bay 11
Cyrenoidea caloosaensis Dall, n. sp 52
Cyrenoidea floridana (Dall, MS. 1889) n. sp 52
Cyrenoidea, on the American species of 51
IV THE NAUTILUS.
Draparnaudia Montrouz 110
Editorial correspondence 53
Endodouta (?) tenuiscripta Ancey, n. sp 90
Ervilia concentrica Gould 26
Ervilia maculosa Dall, n. sp 26
Ervilia nitens (Mont.) Turton 25
Ervilia, the American species of 25
Ervilia subcancellata Smith 26
Extracts from a note book 82
Fossils of Dead Man's Island 140
Fossil shells of San Pedro Bay
Goose Fair Brook 15
Helicina plicatula var. christophori Pilsbry, n. var. . . . 118 Helix alternata, influence of environment upon the form
and color of 63
Helix nemoralis at Lexington, Va 142
lanthina 133
Isaac Lea Department of Agassiz Association, 10, 33, 43,
56, 68, 81, 92, 106, 112, 123, 140
Ischnoehiton scabricostatus Cpr 49
Land and fresh water shells collected by Dr. "\Ym. H. Rush
in Uruguay and Argentina 76
Land mollusca from the rejectamenta of the Rio Grande,
N. M 41
Land shells of Quebec City and district, notes on .... 98
Large Decapod 108
Leda caelata Hinds, note on 70
Leda cellulita Dall, n. sp. . .' 1
Leda conceptions Dall, n. sp
Leda from the Pacific Coast, new species of 1
Leda leonina Dall, n. sp
Leda pontonia Dall
Lepyrium Dall, n. gen 15
Lia, note on 47
Limnrea bulimoides Lea resisting drought . 96
Mactra, note on 47
Mactrella Iheringi Dall, n. sp 123
Marine shells on the southern California Coast 56
Melania vatensis Ancey, n. sp 90
Methods, chapter on 43
THE NAUTILUS. V
Mexican land shells 59
Moores, Henry, in memoriam 128
Mopalia imporeata Cpr
Neobeliscus, n. gen
Neritina coccinea Ancey, n. sp
Neritina Showalteri Lea, note on
New or rare species of marine mollusca recently found in
British Columbia 16
New publications received . . . . 2, 23, 35, 47, 60, 70, 120, 131 New Hebrides Archipelago, new shells from the .... 90
Notes and news . . . . . 22, 34, 47, 59, 70, 96, 108, 117, 130 Notes on collection of shells in museums of Paris, Berlin
and Amsterdam 61
Notes on Florida mollusca 40
Notes on mollusks of Florida 27
Notes on new species of Amuicolidre collected by Dr. Rush
in Uruguay
Notes on some Ontario shells 10
Odor of snails • • 84
Olvia, some references to the genus (illustrated) . . .
Paludina heterostropha Kirtlaud
Partulina Hayseldeni
Pisidia, a few notes on •
Pisidia, descriptions of new
Pisidium fallax Sterki, n. sp
Pisidium pauperculum Sterki, n. sp. . . .
Pisidium scutellatum Sterki, n. sp
Pisidium vesiculare Sterki, n. sp. . . .
Plauorbis nautileus L. in America 117, 130, 13J
Pomatiopsis Hinkleyi Pilsbry, n. sp
Postage on specimens of natural history 127
Potamolithus, new genus 86
Potamolithus bisinuatus n. sp
Potamolithus bisinuatus obsoletus, n. var
Potamolithus dinochilus n. sp 87
Potamolithus gracilis n.sp
Potamolithus gracilis viridis, n. var
Potamolithus hidalgoi,n. sp 87
Potamolithus Iheriugi, n. sp 87
Potamolithus lapidum supersulcatus, n. var. . .
VI THE NAUTILUS.
Potamolithus microthauma n.sp 87
Potamolithus Orbignyi, n.sp 88
Potamolithus Rusbii Pils., n. sp 87
Potamolithus Sykesii, n. sp 88, 89
Pseudopartula Pfr. . . . , 109, 110
Puget Sound, notes on some shells from 68
Punctual conspectum var. pasadense Pilsbry, n. var. ... 21
Pupa, a new form of 143
Purpura lapillus var. umbricata 85
Pyramidula strigosa, young 119
Schmacker B. (obituary) 72
Shells of Maryland 23
Sinistral land shells 104
Snailery, my • 113
Some laud shells of Michigan 84
Spuaeria, a word about 29
Sphyradium (Pupa) edentulum Drap., the systematic posi- tion of 75
Sulcobasis, anatomy of 119
Syuapterpes, n.gen 46
Trachydermon Sharpii Pilsbry, n.sp 50
Tray of shells from Denmark 124
Unionidre, descent and distribution of 5
Unio Askewi Marsh, n.sp., pi. I, figs. 3,4 91, 121
Unio Brimleyi Wright, n. sp 138
Unio Burtchianus Wright, n. sp 137
Unio Kirklandianus Wright, n. sp 136
Unio Lehmanii Wright, n. sp 138
Unios, the muscle scars of 29
Unio Piukstouii Wright, n.sp 136
Unio superioriensis Marsh, n.sp., pi. I, figs. 1, 2, 5 . . . .103, 121
Unios of Illinois River 106
United States Umonidaj, contribution to a knowledge of . 136
Vallonia pulchella in Pittsburgh 143
Van Nostraud, Henry D. (obituary) 93
Vertigo coloradensis and its allies 134
Vitrea cellaria Mull., notes on 142
Weight and size of shells
Zonites glaber Stud, and Zonites lucidus Drap. in green- houses, Seattle, Washington 70
INDEX TO CONTRIBUTORS.
Ancey, C. F 90, 104
Arnold, Delos 33, 140
Baldwin, D. D 31
Brarlshaw, Mrs. F. M • . . . . 82
Brooke, Mrs. John M 142
Campbell, Mrs. E. D. G 56
Olap|>, Geo. H 143
Cockerell, T. D. A 35.41, 134, 143
Ball, Wm.H 1, 13, 25, 51, 70, 121
Drake, Mrs. Marie 68
Ford, John 3,110, 117
Gardner, A. H 43
Hanham, A. W • .... 98, 130
Henderson. John B 72, 128
Johnson, C. W 53, 61, 128, 144
Keep, Josiah 124
Lemon, James H 10
Lowe, H 11
Marsh, Wm. A 91, 103
Mazyck, Wm. G 105
Newcombe, C. F 16
Olney, Mary P 84, 119
Ormsbee, C. C 13
Pilsbry, H. A 21, 37, 41, 46, 49, 76, 86, 102, 109, 118
Randolph, P. B 70
Roberts, S. Raymond 93
Roper, Edward W 29
Rush, Wm. H 76
Simpson, Charles T 29, 57, 133
Smith, H 84
Soper, MissC 113
Stearns, R. E. C 85
Sterki, Dr. V 8, 20, 64, 75
Streng, L. H 23
Strode, Dr. W. S 106
Taylor, Geo. W 139
Walker, Leon 142
White, Frank A 40
Willcox, Joseph 27
Williamson, Mrs. M. Burton 10,32,112,123
Winkley, Henry W 15, 38, 47, 73
Wright, Berlin'H 5
Wright, S. Hart 136
(vii)
THE NAUTILUS.
VOL. x. MAY, 1896. No. 1
NEW SPECIES OF LEDA FROM THE PACIFIC COAST. BY WM. H. DALL.
The species of Leda from the littoral zone nortli from Panama are not numerous, though individuals are plenty in suitable locali- ties. Leda hamata Cpr. is only known from the Sta. Barbara Islands. Leda ccelata Hinds ranges from Bodega Bay to Lower California in 6 to 60 fms. Leda fossa Baird is known from Bering Sea to Puget Sound. Leda cuneata Sby., from Panama to Mon- terey and also in the Atlantic. Leda minttta Fabr., a circumpolar species, reaches south as far as Puget Sound on the Pacific. Omit- ting some Arctic and abyssal species, the above-mentioned five spe- cies include all hitherto recognized from the western coast of the United States. I am now able to add three well defined species to the list.
Leda celhilita n. s.
Shell solid, with a dull olive-gray epidermis, moderately convex, with subcentral, not prominent beaks, base profound!}" arcuate, an- terior dorsal slope rounded, posterior straight or slightly concave ; posterior extreme bluntly pointed ; escutcheon large, transversely striate ; lunule not differentiated but similarly striate; sculpture of fine sharp, concentric grooves with wider interspaces, less arcuate than the incremental lines ; chondrophore small, triangular, not projecting, with 22 anterior and 16 posterior hinge teeth on the cardinal border. Height 10-5; diameter 7'2 ; length 15'5 mm.
Puget Sound near Port Orchard, dredged by the Young Natural- ists' Society of Seattle, Wash.
2 THE NAUTILUS.
This species is less inflated, less polished, with finer grooving and less recurved rostrum than L. ccelata. It is heavier, more inflated, and with a coarser hinge plate and larger teeth than L. confuta Hanley (L. pellu Sby. non Lin.) from Japan.
Leda leoniiin n. s.
Shell rather thin, compressed, with the low beaks at the anterior third ; base slightly arcuate, anterior end rounded, posterior dorsal slope concave, luuule and escutcheon narrow, elongate, strongly im- pressed, smooth, with the valve margins elevated ; rostrum broadly and a little obliquely truncate ; sculpture of thin sharp concentric lamella? strongest on the rostrum, epidermis dull olive-gray, dehis- cent ; hinge with 22 anterior and 28 posterior teeth, the choudro- phore small, inconspicuous. Height 11 ; length 23'5 ; diameter 5'25 mm.
Off Sea Lion Rock, Coast of Washington in 477-559 fathoms, mud, U. S. Fish Commission.
This species bears a distant resemblance to L. t> iiiii^n/cntn but cannot be confounded with it.
Leda eoneeptionis u. s.
Shell elongate, smooth, polished, compressed, with the beaks iu the anterior third ; base arcuate, prominent below the beaks ; ante- rior dorsal slope slightly rounded, posterior slope straight, rostrum narrow, pointed, obliquely truncate, cardinal margin elevated be- tween the halves of the narrow impressed, almost linear lunule and escutcheon ; beaks very small, low, the prodissocouch conspicuous ; hinge with 18 anterior and 33 posterior small and delicate teeth ; the chondrophore narrow, produced posteriorly, interior of the ros- trum without a longitudinal septum. Height 10-5 ; length 27'5 ; diameter 4'5 mm.
From Sannakh Islands, Alaska, to the Santa Barbara Channel in 200-500 fathoms, especially off Point Conception, Gala., in 278 fathoms, U. S. Fish Com.
This is nearest to L. jilatesxa Dall, from off Rio Janeiro, but that species is smaller, with much fewer teeth and has a strong septal ridge dividing the interior of the rostrum.
Ledn jii'iitonia Dall, originally described from 812 fathoms off the Galapagos Islands, has since been dredged iu 822 fathoms ofF San Diego, California, thus adding another to the rapidly increas- ing list of species which occur off the coast of West America in both hemispheres.
THE NAUTILUS. SOME REFERENCES TO TE.E GENUS OLIVA.
BY JOHN FORD.
Of all the marine univalve? tbe Olives are perhaps among the most difficult to define specifically. It is true that the most irregu- lar forms can in some instances be readily determined and properly placed by expert conchologists, for however greatly they may differ from the accepted types, certain characters, proving a common ori- gin, are always perceivable. This is especially the case with such species as 0. injiata Lam., 0. mnura Lam., and 0. peruv'unia Lam.
(Fig. 1).
To other species, however, many shells have been assigned which are apparently devoid of characters necessary to sustain the rela- tionship claimed for them. In this group may be included O. ara- tieosa Lam., 0. irisans Lam., 0. ispidida Linn., and 0. reticularis Lam. So variable both in form and color patterns are many of the shells assigned to these fourspecies.it is not at all strange that they have been honored with scores of specific names. That a majority of these names are synonymous there is no reason to doubt, but it seems equally apparent that quite a number of the shells, the names of which have been thus subordinated, are really specifically dis- tinct from the types with which they are associated.
FIG. 1. FIG. 2. FIG. 3.
0. peruviana Lam. 0. erylhrostoma Lam. 0. porphyria Lam.
Among these may be noted 0. ornata Marratt and O. julietta Duclos. which some recent writers have determined to be varieties only, the former of 0. irisans, the latter of 0. unmeosa. If there
THE NAUTILUS.
is an affinity between these so-called varieties and the species men- tioned, I have failed to discover it, though in possession, perhaps, of every form of the shells in question known to science.
Certain writers also claim that the difference between O. irisans and 0. textilinn Lam. is merely varietal. Possibly this may be true ; still, the facts do not appear to favor any such conclusion. On the contrary, the characters exhibited by large numbers of each clearly show them to be specifically distinct.
It is just possible that intervening forms linking the two together are known, such for instance, as those uniting the typical 0. iritans with its admitted varieties 0. zelanica Lam., 0. tremulina, Lam., and 0. erythrostoma Lam. (Fig. 2), but if so they are certainly ab- sent from the several large collections of Olives belonging to mem- bers of the American Association of Conchologists and the Phila- delphia Academy of Natural Sciences. These are but a few samples of the difficulties at present barring the way to a thorough com- prehension of the specific relationship of the various members of the genus. The presence of such obstacles, however, should be to the earnest student more of a pleasure than an annoyance, since any effort for their removal will surely give him ample opportunity to exercise both his judgment and powers of observation. Despite the individual vagaries referred to, the genus is a thoroughly at- tractive one, many of the species, indeed, being unsurpassed in
FIK. 4 <->. cri/jiltix/iint Ford.
FIG. 5.
THE NAUTILUS. 0
richness of color and perfection of form by even the more preten- tious members of the genus Cyprsea.
Among the most charming of the 55 or 60 accepted species, 0. porphyria Lam. (Fig. 3) may be safely reckoned. These are the "tent shells" of the amateur collector, being so-called from the peculiar patterns which often cover the surface in such profusion as to suggest a large military encampment, including the marquees supposed to be necessary for official comfort, etc.
The ground color, on which these tent-like figures appear, is of a deep chocolate hue and exceedingly brilliant. Add to this the graceful form of the shell and we may readily see that the combina- tion presents a picture of the utmost beauty.
0. cn/ptoxpira Ford (Figs. 4, 5) is smaller and less charming in appearance than 0. porphyria, but the callus-covered spire and enamelled body whorl make it a very interesting species. The type of this is in my own collection. There is, however, a fine suite of typical specimens in the Phila. Acad. Nat. Sciences, and, I think, a similar set in the TJ. S. National Museum at Washington.
DESCENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF UNIONIDJE.
BY BERLIN H. WEIGHT, PENN VAN, N. Y.
It must be admitted that the Unionidse are under the same natural laws, and occult forces, that have operated for vast ages on all animal and vegetal life. Fossilized Unios are found in several geological formations, and all living Unios are their descendants, or else they are new creations. But no evidence sustains the theory of successive creations. On the contrary, we behold everywhere successive new but related forms of descent on divergent lines. Nowhere is this astonishing fact better exemplified than in the nu- merous species of Unionidie. But what causes the new forms? If not direct creations — a baseless theory — they are the outcome of changed conditions of life or varying environments.
Geographical distribution furnishes such environments. The young fry of the Naiads have a byssus which generally disappears early and with this appendage they can and do attach themselves to the legs of ducks, wading birds and floating objects. They are then easily transported by the semi-annual bird migration, from river to river, and from lake to lake, and eventually to very remote
THE JNAUTILU8.
regions. New habitats, with new climates, and with changed chemical qualities of new waters, and with new food materials, must disturb the usual and normal lines of descent. A change in the activity of functions of organs, affecting the physiology of the animal must result. Over stimulation of some functions, and de- pressed activity of others, must change the tenor of life, ultimately evolving new shell characters, and minimizing old ones, or even re- ducing them to a rudimentary state — all being effected by change of environment.
The dispersion of species is scarcely affected by mountain ranges, but oceans are potential barriers. Distribution eastward or west- ward is very slow, owing to the fact that the migrations of water fowls and birds, is mainly from north to south and vice verxn. The spawn, fry or seeds being carried in these migrations, causes a great mixing of fauna and flora, ou the lines of migration.
The paucity of Unionidse west of the 100th meridian is probably due to the fact that since the laying of the cretaceous beds there and the destruction of the once numerous forms of Naiads that swarmed in that region, by the great upheavals of the country- there has not been sufficient time to repopulate. There are signs, however, of adveutive Naiads, even frdm Europe, there. Mari/m-i- tana ([*»/«) margaritifera L. and Anodonia cygnea L. from Europe, neither of them fully divorced from their Old World progenitors, seem to have somehow got a lodgement in California and Oregon, though Drs. Lea and Gould did not detect it. Mr. Simpson suggests that the Californian A. cygnea is the parent of the "tramp" .1. < j-iliur Lea, found from Southern California to Mexico and Central America, where it resents having relatives in Europe.
The most common Unios are those most subject to variation, as seen in U. complanatus Sol., whose progeny are clamoring for " sov- erigu rights " and recognition, which some Uniologists grant, and others deny. On the other hand Naiads vigorously resisting varia- tion, such as U. cylindricus Say, and others, have no near relatives, and are generally rare and with very restricted distribution.
In living plants, secessions from a given and normal type are readily traceable, and in fossil types, floral and fauual, the grada- tions of differences are well marked. " Connecting links " may be absent, when we seek to trace and run down a species, through the long icons of geologic time. Jiut if a long line of visible road be crossed by a chasm, we cannot resist the conviction that the road was once continuous.
THE NAUTILUS. /
There are no inherent tendencies in a species to depart from it- self, but when estrangements do occur, they are effected by ulterior causes, natural or artificial. Where color markings are bleached out in mature shells in clear streams, the}1 are retained in the same species in muddy waters. Shells thin and fragile in cold, limeless, pure water, become thicker and coarser in dirty streams. Spinose and verrucose shells are found in rapid waters, with a maximum de- velopment of spines and warts, while the same species in sluggish waters have these characters minimized or even absent. The thin edentate Anodontas of ponds or lakes, need no teeth to keep their valves in place, and hence have none. Nature's argument for an organ or an accessory is the need of it, which is furnished by a pro- cess of slow development the heavier species showing rudimentary teeth.
Mr. Darwin, in " The Origin of Species," shows that in a genus having many species, if it has not reached a maximum de- velopment, many other species are *till fm-mhiy in it. This is con- firmed in Unio and Auodonta, and we may reasonably expect new species will be discovered in them.
Departures of a Unio from its parent stock, when seen as features of whole colonies, entitle it to specific distinction without hesitation, provided the habitats differ, and to varietal distinction where found in company with or near its next in affinity. On such a basis spe- cific recognition is accorded in other branches of zoology, and also in botany. Plenty of land and marine shells, are specifically sep- arated, only by the most minute or microscopic differences of the shells. We would not advocate such peering minuteness in the UuionidiJe where the tendency to variation is much greater, and where expert comparative anatomists are unable to find distinguish- ing generic or specific differences in the soft parts.
In the Unionidae, the constants of nature are few and the differ- entials many. How then shall a rule be formulated by which we can confidently say a given Unio is distinct from another? The hiatus necessary for the founding of a new species must be such an aggregation of differences of character, such an estrangement from its next in affinity, that the gap will be large enough to justify a specific separation of the two. A substantial agreement in the out- line of two Unios may be a fact, and yet other distinctive characters easily and unmistakably separate them. A process of differentia- tion must be applied in uuiology but with extreme care. But just
8 THE NAUTILUS.
here we are confronted with the fact that all differential observa- tions are more or less affected with the variable " personal equa- tion " among observers. The measure of conclusions is more or less in error, and the elimination of the variable is not a mathematical possibility. It follows, therefore, that a definition of the word SPE- CIES is almost an impossibility, the judgment of a naturalist being a controlling factor. This is a serious and unalterable fact. The most unselfish and conscientious naturalists will often radically dis- agree on the validity of a species. Others without a surplus of con- science, candor or brains, will go on making species ad libitum, to the end of time.
A? a result of such diffusiveness, the birds, fishes, insects, shells, and plants, have generally been named three or four times over. This condition is discreditable to science, and Congresses of scientists are not able to remedy the evil. An epidemic of this sort is raging in Europe, and the " New School " mills are grinding out species by the hundreds.
The animus of species mongers is often visible, and not praise- worthy. Posing as scientists, they grasp nomenclature and bandy names about football fashion, with a nonchalance that takes away the breath of astonished beholders and raises the hair on end. The vocation of such gentry is that of the " Bulls and Bears," tearing down what others labored hard to build up, and raising standards which a later litter of "Bears" will demolish.
A FEW NOTES ON PISIDIA.
BY DR. V. STERKI.
It is hoped that our fellow couchologists will not feel chilly when reading this title, but kindly excuse the writer for coining again with Pisidia. The Cycladidcc are in order at present, and the season for collecting is at hand. Many conchologists in the East and West, North ami South of our country are prepared to do vigorous collect- ing, and many others not yet enlisted will probably join them, so that, in all probability, more will be done in this line than at any previous time. And there is no doubt that the results will be highly satisfactory. Almost every sending coming in from the compara- tively few places where collecting has been done so far, brought up some new form or forms which may prove to be new species, or varieties, by comparing them with more materials from other places.
THE NAUTILUS.
By the perplexing variability of some members of this group, it is too unsafe to establish new species upon a few specimens coming from a single locality.
The headquarters of these smallest Bivalves, and so probably of Sphcerium, are the region of our great lakes, which, in fact, seems to be the richest on the globe. And here, too, a serious difficulty is added to the one already lying in the embarassing richness of forms itself. The deep water mussels are decidedly different from the shallow water and shore forms, reduced in size, and less character- istic in shape, striation, color, hinge formation, etc., hence the double difficulty in ascertaining their true relations with the shallow water, river, pond and shore forms on the one hand, and among themselves on the other. Such is the teaching of the materials brought up so far from some deeper places of the lakes, mainly by the efforts of the Michigan Fish Commission, as I understand, upon the encourage- ment of Mr. Bryant Walker. There also is a field for successful work ; the use of the dredge.
Another point may a* well be mentioned here. It is an open ques- tion how far Cycladidce are able to exist in brackish water, of rivers and creeks emptying into the sea, and in salt marshes. Conchologists having chances to collect in such places are invited to pay the matter their attention. The researches may be extended to other fresh water mollusks at the same time.
A few hints must be added for those collecting and sending Pisiilia (and Sphceria). 1. Not even the smallest specimens should be overlooked, as some forms are very minute, and the young of all are of interest and value. 2. It is not only annoying, but really perplexing and deceptive, to examine lots where a part of the spec- imens had been picked out previously. Thus the larger, mature and characteristic examples of one or several species may be want- ing, while the younger and poorer are represented in the remnants. Whole suites only can afford a true conception of a species, variety or local form. Mixed lots, however, are the most desirable for examination, separated only for considerable differences in size of the specimens.
Several conchologists lately have sent living Pisidia, which arrived alive and could be kept alive for some time, observed and examined for the soft parts. I would solicit the sending of more such. They should be packed up with damp moss, or other similar material, in receptacles admitting air, not in tightly corked vials.
10 THE NAUTILUS.
ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT.
[Conducted in the interest of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the Agassiz Associa- tiou bj- its General Secretary, .Mrs. SI. Burton Williamson.]
During the first quarter of the year the following new members have been added to the chapter: Mrs. H. A. Zeck, Los Angeles, Cal. ; Mrs. E. H. King, Napa, Cal. ; Mrs. E. A. Lawrence, 2024 E. Second St., Los Angeles, Cal. ; and, in the Juvenile Section, Master James H. Porter, New Wilmington, Pa. The California members will belong to Sections A. and F., the first section "Marine Shells of the West Coast," is under Professor Keep's instruction, and, Section F, " Fossil Shells," is directed by the Hon. Delos Arnold.
NOTES ON SOME ONTARIO SHELLS.
[Report of Mr. James H. Lemon. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Con- chological Chapter for 1895.]
During last Summer I was able to do very little work in thecon- chological line, as my time was mostly occupied with botany. This report, therefore, will have to deal with work done in former years.
As far as I am aware about 147 species of land and fresh water shells have been found in the Province of Ontario, fifty-five species being land shells, and ninety-two fresh water ; but as very few localities in the Province have been diligently searched it is very probable that in the future several more species will be added to the list. Of the 147 species, quite a number are extremely common all over the Province. Others, although widely distributed, are comparatively rare. Others, again are rather plentiful in some parts, but entirely wanting in other parts. Of our rarer species mention might be made of the following:
Selenites concnva Say. This shell has been found in several parts of the Province of Ontario, but nowhere abundantly. I, myself, have found it in Eastern Ontario, and it is reported from around Ottawa.
Omji/iii/iiKtfuliyiiiosa Griff'., has been found, as far as I am aware, only near the city of Hamilton, in S. Ontario, and oven there is not a common shell.
Omplnilinn inornata Say, has been found around Ottawa, but I have not heard of its being taken elsewhere in the Province.
Gastrodonta ! nterte.rta Binn. This shell has not been found, to my knowledge in Eastern Ontario, but several specimens have been
THE NAUTILUS. 11
collected around Hamilton. I also collected a few specimens near Brantford.
Pyramidula perspectiva Say, is another species which seems to be confined to the southern portion of the province. I have found it around Hamilton, and, also in Brant County, but it is not abundant in either place.
Polygyra (Mesodoii) Suyii Binn. has been found in several parts of the Province, but is by no means a common species. I have never been fortunate enough to find any live specimens, but have found dead ones.
Polygyra (Triodoptii) pulliata Say, and T. tridentata Say, are both comparatively common in parts of Southern Ontario, I have not heard of their being found in the Northern or Eastern parts.
Pupafallax Say, has been found very abundantly around Hamil- ton, especially in sandy places, but I have not found it elsewhere.
It is chiefly among our Fresh Water species that additions to the list are to be expected. Ontario abounds in lakes and streams, which when diligently explored will no doubt yield a number of species new to the Province. Many additions may be expected among the Unioniche and Cycladidse (Spkcerum and Pisidium), although over 30 of our 92 Fresh Water species belong to the Unionidse.
During the coming summer I hope to have more time to devote to the study of Conchology, and will endeavor to get as complete a list, as possible, of those shells found around Toronto.
CUTTLE FISHES WASHED ASHORE IN SAN PEDRO BAY.
[Extract from the report of H. Lowe. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Con- chological Chapter for 1895].
In June, while I was out collecting one morning, I was surprised to find a number of cuttle fishes which had been washed ashore. They were all dead, excepting one, which I carried home and kept in water for a day or two. The length of the entire mollusk was about four feet, and, weight about twenty pounds. It was covered with a very thin paper-like skin, so thin that the bloodvessels could be seen beneath for it has, unlike most other mollusks, red blood. The head was surmounted by ten arms with powerful suckers, two of these arms were much longer than the rest, being about two feet long. Where the ten arms radiated was the mandible, shaped like,
12 THE NAUTILUS.
and much resembling, the beak of a parrot. This mandible was partially enveloped in a tough white muscle and was connected with the digestive organs by a muscular gullet. On each side of the head was a large eye about two inches in a diameter. The crystalline lens, when dried, were clear and bright and closely resembled large solitaries (I have seen the lenses used for settings). The gladius, or internal shell was about eighteen inches long, composed of shining white cartilage, and shaped like a large quill-pen, with the pen point towards the tail. I found about fifteen of these mollusks, but have been unable to identify them and would be pleased if some one could give me the probable name.
GENERAL NOTES.
NOTE ON CAEYCHIUM EXILE (C. B. ADAMS). — This Jamaican species was originally described in Adams' Contributions to Cou- chology, III, p. 38 (Oct., 1849) as Pupa e.rilis ; and Pfeiffer retains the species in Pupa in the Monographia Heliceorum III, p. 556. It is omitted from the Monographia Auriculaceorum. Bland in Journal de Conchyliologie, 1872, p. 46, first refers the species to Carychium. In this genus the name is preoccupied by H. C. Lea for a species of the United States described in 1841. The Jamaica form will, there- fore, stand C, exile Lea, var. jamtii<'e>isisPi\$l)ry (see Nautilus VIII, p. 63, figs. 15, 16), although some would probably consider it dis- tinct from the United States species. P. exilis Ad., C. exile Bland, becoming a synonym of the variety described by myself. — H. A. P.
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
I. THE UNIONIDJE OF THE OHIO RIVER. II. THE STREPOMA- TIDJE OF THE FALLS OF THE OHIO. — By R. Ellsworth Call, from Proceedings Indiana Academy of Science, No. IV, 1894. Published Nov., 1895. Brief comparative reviews. The writer states that " the literature of the subjects reveals some sixty species " of Union- idre found in the Ohio River. " The Strepomatid molluscan fauna of the Falls of the Ohio is one that is very rich in numbers, but rather poor in species," the total number being but ten species.
ON THE OCCURRENCE OF ALECTRYONIA UNGULATA IN S. E. AFRICA WITH A NOTICE OF PREVIOUS RESEARCHES ON THE CRETA- CEOUS CONCHOLOGY OF SOUTH AFRICA.- — By R. Bullen Newton (from the Journal of Conchology, VIII, 136-151, Jan., 1896).
BULLETIN OF THE U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, No. 133; CON- TRIBUTIONS TO THE CRETACEOUS PALEONTOLOGY OF THE PACIFIC COAST ; FAUNA OF THE KNOXVILLE BEDS. By T. W. Stanton. This Bulletin, which contains 132 pages and 22 plates, is a very valu- able addition to our knowledge of the Cretaceous Mollusca. Pre- ceding the descriptions of species, is a thorough discussion of the geological features of the region. There are enumerated 77 species of invertebrates, 50 of which are described as new ; all but 7 ot the species are mollusks.
THE NAUTILUS.
VOL. x. JUNE, 1896. No. 2
NOTE ON NERITINA SHOWALTERI LEA.
BY TVM. H. BALL.
In February, 1861, Dr. E. R. Showalter of Alabama sent four small shells without opercula or soft parts to Dr. Isaac Lea. They were obtained ten miles above Fort William, Shelby Co., Alabama, from the Coosa River. Three of these specimens are now in the National Museum, with the original labels of Showalter and Lea. The species was described under the name of Neritinu Shownltrri by Dr. Lea, who observed that it was the first instance of the discovery of true freshwater Neritina, like those of Europe, in our southern waters. The note in which the description is embodied was read Feb. 12, 1861 and published in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, vol. xiii, p. 56, March 19, 1861, and also separ- ately.
Since that time for many years no notice of the species as collected has come to my knowledge and I began to suspect that Dr. Showalter had been imposed upon by some one who had given him, as obtained from the Coosa River, some specimens of Neritina fluviatilis of Eur- ope, to which these shells bear a marked resemblance, except that they are smaller and without any dark markings upon the olivaceous surface. It seemed very curious that a species of the section Theo- doxus, to which Neritina fluvintilis is now referred, and which is not- ably profuse in individuals when occurring at all, in Europe, should be found only in one small stream in our Southern States and very sparsely there. Of numerous collectors on the Coosa River since
14 THE NAUTILUS.
1865, none seemed to have found it. Dr. Lewis in his Freshwater and Land shells of Alabama (Geol. Sur. Ala. Rep., p. 25, 1876) gives no further information but states that in the absence of the operculum it is uncertain whether it should be referred to Neritella (= Neritina). Binney was uot able to add any further information in his Land and Freshwater shells of North America. I find in one of my books a manuscript note by a very competent conchologist which declares under date of 1884 that this shell is the young of Anculosa ampla Anth. "Under Neritidce in the Manual of Coucho- logy (vol. x, 1888) Mr. Tryou observes that it has not the char- acters of Anculosa, on the contrary it more nearly resembles Nerifniu crepiduluria, though the coloring of the epidermis is more like that of Anculota than in the other fluviatile species of Neritiim.
For some years I have used every opportunity to seek further in- formation about this species but without success, until lately Mr. Bryant Walker of Detroit informed me that he bad found, among shells collected on the Cahawba River in Alabama, by Prof. R. E. Call, a single specimen which he had referred to Lea's species. This he was kind enough to send me for examination and on com- parison with the types it proved identical, thus establishing the correctness of the American habitat of the shell which had been so long in doubt. The specimen had also the operculum, which was not that of a Neritina, but the soft parts had been removed.
A comparison was then made with the young of all the species of Anculosa in the National collection, which resulted in confirming Mr. Tryon's opinion that it could not be referred to that genus. Dur- ing this search, under the head of " Anculosa atnpla, very young'' were found three additional specimens of the so-called Neritina, received under that name from Dr. Lewis, who in turn had received them from Mr. T. H. Aldrich who had collected them from the Cahawba River, Alabama, thus fixing a second locality for the species. The smallest of Dr. Lewis's specimens fortunately contained the operculum and dried remains of the soft parts which were put in soak and boiled in potash finally revealing an extremely minute rhipidoglossate radula, in general uot unlike that of Neritina but uot like that of any species of Neritina yet figured. The differences are such as would ordinarily be regarded as generic and, taken into consideration with the operculum, it becomes evident that, while the species is related to Neritina (and not to Ancnlosa), a new genus must be instituted to receive it.
THE NAUTILUS. 15
Genus LEPYRIUM Dall.
Shell neritiniform, small, thin, unicolorate; with a broad smooth- edged pillar lip; the operculum shaped like that of Neritina but without any calcareous layer or projecting processes ; the dentition comprising a very wide rhachidian tooth with a short finely denti- culate cusp, the median denticle hardly larger than the others and on each side of it a small obliquely set lateral, a broad major lateral with finely denticulate short cusp, and a short series of spatulate uncini much longer than the median teeth. Formula x. 2. 1.2.x.
Type Lepyriwn Showalteri (Lea, as Neritina), from rivers of the Appalachian drainage in Northeastern Alabama. Types, numbers 29,016 and 102,851, U. S. Nat. Museum.
The specimen from which the radula was obtained was very small and the radula so minute, and its long uncini so tangled, that it was impossible to make a complete description or enumeration of them. The rhipidoglossate character, however, was evident, and the form of the cusps of the middle part of the radula could be clearly seen. They differ from those of Neritina by having a very wide and short, finely denticulate rhachidian tooth, instead of a small quadrate one with simple edges ; one instead of two oblique minor laterals ; in the broad and simple quadrate form of the major lateral, and the relatively smaller number and larger size of the uncini. Anculosa has a tsenioglossate radula with the formula 3.1.3, so it is evident that this form is not in any way related to Anculosa.
The Oligocene of the Southern United States contains several species of Neritina, but none, so far as known, having a close resem- blance to Lepi/rium ; which is, however, probably an offshoot from Xf ,-itina. The fluviatile fauna of the Coosa region contains several unique or isolated types of mollusks and the present species adds another to the list.
THE GOOSE FAIR BROOK.
BY REV. HENRY W. WINKLEY.
A curious brook, with an odd name, the origin of which I do not know. For some years this stream has formed the boundary be- tween the city of Saco and the town of Old Orchard. The portion of it known to the writer is the last five or six miles of its course.
16 THE NAUTILUS.
It flows for a distance througb meadow land in a valley ; here mol- lusca are seldom found. The next portion continues through a val- ley thickly wooded, with alders overhanging the water and covering the narrow belt of marsh ; beyond these the steep banks and upper land are covered with pinegrowth. Land shells occur rarely along this area: Succinea ovalis, I'ntu/n xtriatella, Strobilops labyrinth ica, Zonites exiguus etc., have been found here. The brook has a fine lot of Margaritana margaritifera of large size and fine specimens. Pisidium variabile, abditum and adamgii occur in the mud, the last of these in an area of a few feet, but having some fine examples. Plan orbit and Physa also occur sparingly. The third area is a mile or two of tide marsh ; here one may study the problem of salt and freshwater distribution. The writer gave an afternoon to this work a few days ago with the following result: In the upper quarter of the marsh Pisidium occurs more or less abundantly, and Amnlcola is to be found in great profusion ; following the windings careful siftings were made. Pisidium disappeared after the first quarter of the distance to the sea ; I am quite sure that salt water has little or no influence here. Amnicola was met with where Pisidium had disappeared, but only for a short distance. The portion followin.i: this in the second quarter was entirely wanting in shells, but grad- ually salt water forms showed themselves, i. e., Macoma and Lituriiia. The marsh itself now gives an interesting field of study. Plant life is very rich, but that is not our subject. Pot holes now reveal the presence of multitudes of Liturinella minuta living on the thread- like marine plants. The Goose Fair Brook enters the sea in the middle of a long beach, generally known as Old Orchard beach. Its marine shells are chiefly Litorina littoria and Macoma, the latter often badly eroded. I have seen living specimens with the animal exposed in places where erosion had destroyed the shell. Not far from the shore there must be beds containing Tellina tenera, Cero- ii in nrctfita and others, as specimens are washed up by storms. I trust that these few observations may help to settle the question of the distribution of marine and freshwater forms. At any rate this is one point in the evidence.
SOME NEW OR RARE SPECIES OF MARINE MOLLUSCA RECENTLY FOUND IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.
The following note may be of interest to collectors of West Coast Mollusca. It adds sixteen species to our fauna not hitherto" reported
THE NAUTILUS. 17
from British Columbia (though some have been found in neighbour- ing seas), and four species are new to science. My best thanks are due to Dr. Ball for kindly determining new and doubtful material, and species so identified are marked in the accompanying list by an asterisk.
It will be noticed that the range of several Californian species receives a considerable extension, as in the case of Diala marmorea Cpr., Euliina falcata Cpr., Ischnochiton radians Cpr., Lepidopleums rugatus Cpr., Chrysallida cincta Cpr., Phasiane/la pulloides Cpr., Tornatina harpa Ball, and Turbonilla stylina Cpr., etc.
Of northern species the southward range is extended of Buccinum plectrum Stimps. (now first established as living in our waters) of Trichotropis borealia Br. & Sby., and of Sipho verkriizeni Kobelt. The two last mentioned species occur at Alert Bay in company with an unusual abundance of boreal and circumpolar species such as Buccinum cyaneum Brug., Bela violacea M. & A., Margarita helicina 0. Fab., CryptobranchiaconcKntrica^lidd., Lepidopleums cancellatus Sby., Orenella deeussata Mont., etc.
Of the four new species, three belong to genera new to our waters ; viz. Rissoina, Molleria and Pliasaniella. The fourth species belongs to a subgenus (Mumiola) of Odostomia especially Japanese in its recorded species.
Most of the following additions are of small shells, of which, how- ever, we are still far from having on record a normal proportion.
The stations quoted in the following lists are arranged in their order passing from the south towards the north.
Station 1. Near Victoria, Vancouver Island, in 60 fathoms, fine clean sand. Collected by the Natural History Society of B. C. March 14, 1896.
Station 2. Near Alert Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound, northeast of Vancouver Island, 20 fathoms, small gravel. Collector, C. F. N. July, 1895.
Station 3. North side of the entrance to Curnshewa Inlet, Queen Charlotte Islands, 10-20 fathoms, small broken shells and sand. Collector, C. F. N. Sept., 1895.
Station 4. East end of Skidegate Inlet, Queen Charlotte Islands, sand and mud. Collector, C. F. N. August, 1895.
Station 5. Bawson Harbour, west end of Skidegate Inlet, Queen Charlotte Islands, 20 fathoms., broken shells. Collector, C. F. N. Sept., 1895.
18
THE NAUTILUS.
Li-it of Species.
*Admete CouthouyiJay. Cumshewa Inlet, living. Angulus variegatus Cp. Victoria, Station 1.
* Bela Jidicula GId. " variety approximating J3. scalaris Moller." Alert Bay, Station 2.
* Bela tabulata Cpr. A remarkably slender variety occurred at Station 2 with the last.
* Bela violaeea High. & Ads. Not uncommon at Alert Bay, Station 2.
* Bittium quadrifilatum Cpr. At all stations in the Queen Char- lotte Islands. A California!! shell new to B. C.
* Buccinum cyaneum Brug., var. Morchianum Fischer. Very fine and plentiful, living at low water near Station 2, Alert Bay. Not reported from any other locality.
* Buccinum plectmm Stimpson. Two dead and a few living spec- imens at Station 1, Victoria. Dead specimens have before been recorded since 1878 as ,6. polare var. compadum Dall, and as B. percrassum Dall. It has also been found at Rivers Inlet, B. C. (C. F. N.) and in Queen Charlotte Sound by Dr. G. M. Dawson.
Cadulus aberrant Whiteaves. Several specimens at Station 1, Victoria. Only once taken before in B. C.
* Caecum crebricinctum Cpr. Living in great abundance at Sta- tion 3, Queen Charlotte Islands. Only a single dead specimen before noted.
* Cancellaria modesta Cpr. One dead specimen dredged in 15 fathoms, near Victoria in 1894, the first reported in B. C. It measures 33 mm. in length and is the largest species of its genus here.
* Cmiceflitria unalaskenais Dall. A few found at Stations 3 and 5 in the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Chryxodomus rectiroatris Cpr. Three living specimens of this rare shell at Station 1, Victoria.
Chrysodomu* (Sipho~) Verkruzeid Kobelt. Three young living specimens dredged near Alert Bay by Mr. W. Harvey in 1894.
* Orenella decussata Mont. Abundant at Station 2 near Alert Bay. Dentaliiim pretiosum Nuttall. A single living specimen at Station
5, Dawson Harbour, Q. C. I.
Dentalium reef in* Cpr. A few living at Station 1, Victoria. Only noted here once before.
* Diala marmorea Cpr. At Station 5, Dawson Harbour, Q. C.I. New to these waters.
THE NAUTILUS. 19
Doridlum Adt'llce Ball. Clayoquot Sound, B. C., and near Victoria. Taken in 1893, by C. F. N. Not hitherto recorded from B. C.
* Eulima falcata Cpr. At Station 2, near Alert Bay. Also taken at low water. A rare California!! shell not on our lists, but prob- ably identical with the form recorded as E. distiirta and E. ineurva.
* Halistylus piipoideus Call. Very abundant, living at Station
3, Cumshewa Inlet.
Ischnochiton interstinctiis Gld. On rocks at low water near Station
4. A Californian species new to our Province. Sixteen specimens of various markings.
Lazaria su.bquadrata Cpr. Dead shells and single valves at Sta- tions 3 and 5 in the Queen Charlotte Islands, the northern limit of this species so far as known.
* Leda acuta Conr. A few living and many dead specimens at Stations 3, 4 and 5, Q, C. I.
* Leda fossa Baird. A few specimens at Station on 3, Cumshewa Inlet. In 1894 I dredged three living specimens near Victoria.
* Lepidopleurus rngntus Cpr. Under rocks at low water near Victoria, April, 1894, C. F. N.
* Macoma yoldiformis Cpr. Stations 3 and 4 in the Queen Char- lotte Islands.
Mactra falcata. Station 3, Cumshewa Inlet.
*Mdlleria Qu.adrce Dall, sp. nov. A few living and dead spec- imens at Station 3, Cumshewa Inlet.
* Mumiola tennis Dall, sp. nov. Station 3, with the last.
* Odostomia ( Chrysallida) eincta Cpr. In 30 fathoms near Victoria, March, 1896. New to B. C.
* Phasianella (Eiicosmia) lurida Dall, sp. nov. Station 5, Skide- gate Channel. Encrusted with a polyzoan.
* Phasianella pulloides Cpr. Stations, Dawson Harbour. Ski- degate with the last, and in shell sand from Nootka Sound.
* Rissoina Newcombei Dall sp. nov. Station 3, Cumshewa Inlet, Queen Charlotte Islands.
* Tellina inflatida Dall. Stations 3 and 4 in the Queen Charlotte Islands. The northern limit so far as known.
Tonicella submrmnorea Midd. Not rare at low water at Station 2, Alert Bay, and quite plentiful at Station 4, Skidegate Inlet.
* Tornatina harpa Dall. Not rare at Stations 3, 4 and 5, Queen Charlotte Islands. The northern known limit.
Trachydermon (Cyanoplax) Rat/mondi Pilsbry. Not rare at Sta- tions 2 and 4, Alert Bay and Skidegate, Q. C. I.
20 THE NAUTILUS.
* Triehotropis borealis Br. & Sby. Station 2, Alert Bay. New to this Province.
Turbonilla ckocolata Cpr. Both at Stations 2 and 4. *Turbonilla stylina Cpr. Cumshewa Inlet, Q. C. I., at Station 3. A Californian shell, new to B. C.
* Turbonilla torquata Glcl. With the last.
* Turbonilla tridentata Cpr. At Station 3, Cumshewa Inlet. Though found in Puget Sound many years ago, it has not before been reported from British Columbia.
* Venericardia boreal!* Conr. At stations 2 (Alert Bay) and 4, Skidegate Inlet.
C. F. NEWCOMBE.
DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW PISIDIA.
BY DR. V. STERKI.
Pis. fallax n. sp.
Mussel rather small ; it is of the same type with Pis. compressum Pr. but smaller, more rounded in outline, the upper margin is less strongly curved, not angular, the ridges on the beaks are compara- tively larger and situated less high up ; the striation is finer, crowded, somewhat irregular and sharp; the color commonly green- ish or yellowish-horn in the younger, more yellow in older speci- mens ; the hinge is strong, more regularly curved than in compres- sum, the hinge plate broad, the cardinal tooth of the right valve more oblique, the lateral teeth strongly projecting inward ; nacre more glassy- whitish ; ligament strong.
Size: long 3'2, alt. 2'9-3, diam. 2'1.
Habitat: Tuscarawas River and Sugar Creek, Ohio.
It was first noticed in October and November, 1891, when hun- dreds of specimens were collected, and so every year since, in com- pany with Pis. compressum, crvciatum and punctahnn. Also found in the stomach of the "Buffalo Sucker" (fish) with Pis. cruciutinn and other molluscan shells. It is decidedly and constantly distinct, not a variety or depauperate form of !'!#. <-i>ni/>i-esmiii. The latter has been collected in this vicinity in many places and in very differ- ent forms. Old specimens of J'is. fallax are almost always badly eroded, and covered with a thick, blackish coat, while Pis. compres- sum from the same places, were intact and clean.
THE NAUTILUS. 21
Pis. vesicnlare n. sp.
Mussel small, ovoid, very inequipartite, somewhat oblique, strongly inflated ; beaks very posterior, moderately prominent ; margins all well rounded, or the scutum forming a very slight angular projec- tion ; color yellowish to brownish-horn ; surface slightly striated, polished, often with a few coarser lines of growth ; shell thiu, trans- lucent ; nacre rather glassy, colorless ; hinge rather small, markedly short; cardinal teeth lamellar, the right moderately curved with its anterior end thicker ; anterior left distinctly directed upward, curved, often angular, posterior oblique, moderately curved ; groove between them narrow and deep ; lateral teeth situated very close to the car- dinals, short, especially those in the left valve abrupt, high ; liga- ment short.
Size: long 2'3, alt. 1'9, diam. 1-7 mill.
Habitat. Michigan.
More than fifteen hundred specimens were seen during the last year, collected at Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Mr. L. H. Streng about ten years ago, and all were remarkably uniform in shape and appearance. Yet I hesitated to announce the form as a uew species, thinking it might be a variety of P. ventricosum Prime. But later it has been seen from various other places, as Lake Michigan, Hess Lake, " Michigan," in one instance named " P. rotuiidatuin," from which it is very different by its beaks situated posteriorly, while in rotundatum they are almost in the middle.
P. cesiculare can be mistaken only for P. ventricosum Pr., from which it differs by the following characters : it is longer, less oblique- more regular in form, being more regularly though less inflated, the beaks are much less prominent; the surface shows less coarse and irregular lines of growth. It is somewhat variable in size, measur- ing 2'l-2'7 millimetres in length, and in being slightly more or less inflated.
A NEW VARIETY OF PUNCTUM.
BY H. A. PILSBRY.
Punctual conspectum var. pasadenae n. var.
Shell resembling P. conspectum Bid., but more widely and openly nmbilicated, and without spaced riblets, or with them very
A>C3^
te LURARY
a openly
22 THE NAUTILUS.
Light chestnut colored, rather opaque. Contour about that of P. conspectum, the spire very low-conic, apex obtuse. Whorls 84 to 4, convex, separated by impressed sutures, the last more or less descend- ing in front. Umbilicus open, easily showing all the whorls, its width contained 31 to 3J i" diameter of shell. Surface with close, fine, irregular growth-stripe, sometimes showing slight traces of wide- spaced stronger strise, and very densely, minutely spirally striated- Aperture rounded-oval, quite oblique, the lip thin ; columellar mar- gin brought far forward and expanded. Alt. 1'15, diarn. 2 mm.
Numerous specimens of this small species were found by Hon. Delos Arnold crawling upon a cement walk in front of his residence in Pasadena, California, and were communicated to the writer by Mrs. Julia E. Campbell.
In typical P. conspectum the umbilicus is smaller, contained 4} to 4s times in diameter of base, and the riblets are prominent, although subject to considerable variation. The dentition of the Pasadena shells is similar to that of conspectum. The other species of Pnnc- turn now known from America are P. pi/yinmim var. mbwctarinwm Lea, and P. Randolphii Dall.
GENERAL NOTES.
PROPOSED BIOLOGICAL STATION. — Professor T. D. A. Cockerell, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, has it in view to found in New Mexico a Biological Station, and health and holiday resort for scientific per- sons, teachers and kindred spirits.
Three years experience in this country gives the writer the high- est opinion of the value of the climate for persons in the earlier stages of phthisis ; while the abundance of new and interesting forms of life, especially among the insects, is remarkable. Many inter- esting general problems, such as those of the life-zones, can also be studied in New Mexico to great advantage.
A beginning will be made this summer if students can be found. Prof. Cockerell will be glad to hear from any who are interested in the matter, and especially from those who might be inclined to work with him for longer or shorter periods during the present summer.
PROFESSOR H. E. SARGENT is now in Deteroit, Michigan (Detroit Museum of Art), engaged in preparing for public exhibition the Stearns collection of Mollusca.
THE NAUTILUS. 23
ASPERGILLUM GiGANTEUM Sowb. — This species, the largest of the genus, was figured in Stearns' and Pilsbry's Catalogue of Japan- ese Marine Mollusks, pi. iii, tig. 1. We have lately noticed that it was renamed (in 1889, Le Naturaliste, p. 121) by M. Menegaux, who curiously enough proposes anew the specific name given by Sow- erby in 1888. The specimen is said to be from " les mersde la Chine."
PALUDINA HETEROSTROPHA KIRTLAND. — I consider this shell only as an abnormal production of Campeloma decisum Say. Com- paratively few are found here. About ten years ago, I gathered quite a lot of them, and among the young of them which were not delivered yet, I found this abnormal form, and as near as I could guess, I found about one of this form in two or three hundred ; and so came to the conclusion above stated. — L. H. STRENG.
SHELLS OF MARYLAND. — In a recent sending of land shells from Cumberland, Maryland, from Mr. Howard Shriver of that place, we find four species not before recorded from the State: Omphalina fuliginosa Griff., 0. inornata Say, Gautrodonta intertexta Binn., and Polygyra pmfunda Say. Tlie latter two are western species, prob- ably at or near their (in this latitude) eastern limit. None of these were recorded in Pilsbry's Mollusks of the Potomac Valley, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1894, p. 11. Polygyra fraudulenia Pils. is a particularly abundant species at Cumberland, and the specimens of Pyramidula alternata are decidedly keeled.
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
ON THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY UNIONID^E FOUND IN THE ST. LAWRENCE AND ATLANTIC DRAINAGE AREAS (AMER. NAT., 1896, p. 379). 2. DESCRIPTIONS OF FOUR NEW TRIASSIC UNIOS FROM THE STAKED PLAINS OF TEXAS. 3. THE CLASSIFICATION AND GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE PEARLY FRESHWATER MUSSELS (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVIII, 1896), by Charles T. Simpson. The first of the above papers considers the origin of such Lake and Atlantic drainage forms as Unio liebi, canadensis, borealis, Itippopmis, Anodontafootiana, subangidata, benedictii, undulata, etc., all of which are claimed to be altered Mississippi drainage types, which found their way into the Lake drainage during the period when the lakes drained into the Mississippi, and subsequently trav- elled eastward when the St. Lawrence outlet became established. Their advent is thus about coeval with the Glacial period. Unio i-udl'itus, ochraceus, heterodon, tappanianus and Mary, undulata are believed to be older inhabitants of the eastern country.
24 THE NAUTILUS.
The third paper mentioned above is already so condensed that any abstract is difficult to make. It deals with the questions of classifications, mutual relationships of the genera, and geographic distribution. Margaritana is merged in Unio, as the species are believed to have lost the lateral teeth by degeneration or disease. It is an error, however, to give U.margaritifer (nof'margaritiferus") as type of Unio ; and it should be noted that in having a series of small muscle-scars in the middle of the disk, M. mat-gar it ij'era, mon~ fiilnnta, etc., differ from any Unios as well as from the M. undu/atu, rugosa group, which is more properly called Alasmodonta. These groups seem to be as valid genera as CaxtaHna, which Simpson re- tains. Simpson, in common with other recent authors, recognizes two families, Unionidce and Mi/telidce. The former containing gen- era Unio, Anodonta, Prisodon, Tetraplodon, Castaliita, Burtonia, Arconaia, Cristaria, Lepidodexma, (new genus for U. languilati of China), Pseudodon, Leguminaia, Solenaia. Mutelidce contains Muiela, Chelidonopsls, Spatha, I'leiodon, Brazzcea, Glabaris, Ihering- ella, Monocondylwa, Fotsanla, Mycetopoda. Each genus is discussed in a separate paragraph, and a careful reading inclines us to place great reliance upon Mr. Simpson's conclusions. A full synonymy of each genus would have been a useful addition, for there are some generic names not mentioned in the text, probably because they prove to be mere synonyms.
The geographic provinces indicated by l/nionidce and Mutdidw are: Palcearctic, including all Europe, Africa north of Sahara (ex- cept the Nile), all northern Asia, and the Pacific drainage of North America. Ethiopian. Oriental, including southern Asia to Japan, Philippines, Malay Archipelago and to the Solomon Is. Anxtrnllitn, Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Mississippian, the Gulf drainage, spreading to N. C. and Central America. This region is the richest in species in the world. Atlantic, Atlantic drainage from Florida to Labrador. Neotropical, the whole of South America. <'i titrtil American, Panama to Mexico and Cuba. A map presents the areas of distribution graphically. In conclusion Mr. Simpson discusses the geological history of the groups. Students of the Uniones will find this paper crowded with important facts and care- ful reasoning from them, in the main very reliable. Our experience with other groups leads us to believe, however, that more import- ant points will follow an anatomical study of the Uniones than have yet been developed.
I -«r -m.m**> <*\ >
^(LIBRARY),
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THE NAUTILUS.
JULY, 1896. No. 3
OX THE AMERICAN SPECIES OF EEVILIA.
BY WM. U. BALL.
Very little attention seems to have been given to the genus Ervi- tlfi, which is composed of small, rather solid shells which are, in the recent species, frequently brightly colored, concentrically or radially striated or smooth. The soft parts are still unknown though the typ- ical species appears to he common in the West Indies, and the largest known species is found in British and Mediterranean waters. In the forms which are normally concentrically striate or grooved it often happens that some of the specimens have the umbonal portion nearly smooth, the normal sculpture appearing only when the shell is half grown ; there are also light modifications of the outline, coming within the range of individual variation. In examining the recent forms of North America and the West Indies for comparison with the fossils, the following were recognized, though the small size of the shells and their general similarity of form renders it necessary to study them under a magnifier with the greatest care and attention in order to grasp the distinctive features. Ervilia nitens (Mont.) Turtun.
This species has the valves somewhat compressed, coarsely, evenly, concentrically grooved, with faint, radial st rial ions on the dorso-posterior surface, both ends somewhat attenuated, the posterior longer and more attenuated, the base evenly arched, the anterior end shorter, higher, with a steeper dorsal slope; the shell rather solid with a robust hinge; the pallial sinus narrow, angular hi
26 THE NAUTILUS.
front, and reaching beyond the vertical of the beaks, anteriorly. In general the shell is yellowish or bright pink, with occasional brownish rays. It seems to be confined to the Antilles and the southern Florida Keys. Ervilia subcancellata Smith.
Valves much compressed, both ends somewhat attenuated, the base arcuate and prominent in the middle ; the surface concentric- ally striated and covered with fine, distinct, radial strife ; the pallial sinus reaching to the vertical of the beaks, rather wide, anteriorly rounded; shell solid, hinge moderately strong; Ion. 8; alt. 5'5 ; diam. 3 mm.
This species is differently shaped, rather more compressed and with a different hinge and pallial sinus from the E. ititens. The specimens I have seen are white or brownish and were obtained at Bermuda by Dr. Goode. Ervilia concentrica Gould.
Shell solid, plump, with a robust hinge ; the surface with strong, even, concentric riblets and narrower, even grooves between them ; there are few very faint or no radial strire ; the posterior end is slightly the longer and more attenuated, the anterior shorter and higher; pallial sinus narrow, almost angular in front, just reaching the vertical of the beaks ; the color is generally white, rarely pink- ish or yellowish.
This species is common in moderate depths from Cape Hatteras to Key West and Peusacola, Florida. It is smaller and more lozenge shaped than E. nitens. Several specimens from the Mediterranean are in the Jeffreys collection under the name of the young of E. castanea or E. nitens. It is represented in the Postpliocene of North Creek, Little Sarasota Bay, Florida, by a variety less strongly >tii- ated and which seems to form the transition to the Pliocene species. Ervilia maculosa Dall, n. s.
Shell almost perfectly oval, very thin, compressed, and almost translucent ; closely, sharply, finely, concentrically striated without radial stria; ; posterior end higher, rounded, longer than the ante- rior; beaks low and calyculate; hinge very feeble; pallial sinus •wide and rounded, falling short of the vertical of the beaks ante- riorly ; surface mottled with brown streaks and patches on a trans- lucent ground. Lon. 4'5 alt. 2'7 mm.
This quite distinct form was obtained oft' Cape Lookout, N. Caro- lina in 22 fathoms by the U. S. Fish Commission. It is recognizable
THE NAUTILUS. 27
at once by its very oval, compressed aud translucent shell with very fine and sharp concentric groovings. So fur I have not found it in the fossil state.
NOTES ON MOLLUSKS OF FLORIDA.
BY JOSEPH WILLCOX.
In THE NAUTILUS for November, 1894, the writer referred to the habits of many species of mollusks which he observed on the west coast of Florida. The present paper has been written in con- tinuation of the same subject.
It is an interesting matter, for personal observation, to witness the persistent and relentless warfare of the molluscan forms upon others of the same family in their quest for food.
In the case of the oyster their enemies are not confined to members of the mollusca. In Florida waters they are preyed upon by num- erous enemies which ply their, predaceous vocation during the twelve months of the year.
Among the fishes the drum and the sheephead are the chief con- sumers of the oyster ; the former devouring those of moderate size, while the latter confine their attention to the destruction of voung
» O
oysters.
In the vicinity of the oyster beds nearly all the sheephead fish are found with ragged and freshly-cut lips caused by the sharp edges of the young oysters which they break loose from the clusters. So per- sistent are the sheephead, in the destruction of the young oysters, that single individuals of the latter are comparatively rare ; and the survival of the species, in some localities, is, in a great measure, due to their protective habit of living in clusters.
Coextensive with the destruction of the oyster by the fishes, refer- red to above, their consumption appears to be as great by their molluscan enemy the Melongena corona.
Every oyster bed, on the west coast of Florida, from Cedar Keys to Cape Sable, is infested by these ostneophagi, which persistently prey upon the oysters as the chief article of their diet.
Their method of attack and subsequent destruction, from which there is no escape for the victim, is exceedingly ingenious, and is probably not unaccompanied by some measure of discomfort and even pain on the part of the aggressor.
28 THE NAUTILUS.
The first effort in tlie assault, on the part of the Melougena, is the insertion of its beak or rostrum between the open valves of the oyster, when the latter is feeding. The valves, of course, are imme- diately closed upon the beak of the assailant, which is round and tough, resembling in form and color a leather shoe-string.
At this particular juncture the oyster appears to have the best position in the struggle for life; and if it could maintain its exist- ence, without relaxing its muscles, the Melongena would, in time, starve to death while held in its grasp.
The position of affairs just described is probably continued for a long time, until the oyster, exhausted with the strain in the contrac- tion of its muscles, is obliged to open its shells.
This is the opportunity which the Melongena has been patiently, or impatient! v, awaiting ; and ils beak is immediately thrust further between the oyster shells.
It is only a question of time when the beak of the Melongena reaches the muscular portion of the oyster ; and then the process of devouring it begins.
Earlv in the progress of this struggle for life other Melongenaa assemble at the prospective feast, and insert their lieaks between the shells of the oyster, and then await their opportunity for engorge- ment.
The writer has picked up an oyster in Little Sarasota Bay, in Florida, from which 14 Melongenas were dangling, suspended by their long beaks, which were held in the closed shells of their victim. A duster of oysters was found, at the same place, between the shells of which were inserted the beaks of '_''_> .Melongenas.
The Bigaretus is enabled to destroy the oyster by enveloping it in its folds, and in that manner smothering it. In the same manner the Fulgur jiervi-rsnin kills the oyster by enveloping it in its foot.
The Melongenas successfully attack and destroy large specimens of Fulijm- perversum. They crowd on and around the operculnm of the latter, and when it is opened for the admission of water for res- piration, the beaks of the Melongenas are ruthlessly inserted be- tween it and the shell ; and the same method of attack is pursued as in the case of the oyster.
It is surprising to see how skillfully the Melongenas can arrange themselves, in order that the greatest number may occupy the space at their disposal at the feast.
The writer has seen a Melongena rin-unn devouring a shrimp, and also a Solen amerieanus.
THE NAUTILUS. 29
The only mollusk, seen to destroy the Melongena, was a Fascio- /iiria iji'jiudeii which enclosed it in its folds.
On one occasion a dead king-crab was found, lying on its back, on which many Faseiolaria tnlipa were crowded and eating it.
An abundant food for the Fasciolaria dinfuns is the Vermetus, (Pt-talocoiichus) niyricans, into the tubes of which the former inserts its beak.
A WORD ABOUT SPH.ZERIA.
BY EDWARD W. ROPER.
Among thousands of Sphseria examined during the past year several unique forms have been found. For example, a robust, rounded shell less than one-fourth inch long, with prominent beaks, from near Tallahassee, Florida. This is quite distinct from any species yet seen from the Gulf states. Again a very dark brown shell from southern Ohio, of the group of S. occidentals, but thicker and with more prominent beaks. From an unknown locality came a single specimen resembling a small S. transverxwm but with a less angular outline. Lastly from Minnesota and other neighboring states, may be mentioned a thin, orbicular, gray or light olive shell with calyculate beaks, often regarded as S. truncahim, but probably different from the New England shell described by Linsley. These forms have mostly come from single localities in very small numbers, and in view of the great variation among species in this genus, it would be unsafe to consider them new on such slight evidence. The writer would like correspondence with collectors having unique and doubtful Spbteria in their possession.
THE MUSSELS SCARS OF UNIOS.
BY CHAS. T. SIMPSON.
In some comments on my recent paper on the classification and distribution of the Naiades in THE NAUTILUS for June, 1896, I notice the statement that in having a series of muscle scars in the middle of the disk Mun/aritcnia margaritifera, iiiti//»<l<n>l<i, etc. differ
30 THE NAUTILUS.
from any Unios ; and this seems to be the character on which the writer would separate Margaritmta generically from Unto.
In the former species these little muscle scars or points of attach- ment of the mantle are sometimes a set of round, deep punctures in the nacre, but more often they consist of slightly indented dashes, which radiate from the umbonal cavity. They vary in number from a very few to 50 or more, and are often entirely wanting. In some examples these scars are more or less aggregated into a sort of lon- gitudinal row along the middle of the disk, looking like a strongly developed pallial line.
In Margaritanamonodonta they appear usually as deep punctures, and vary from many to none and the same thing is true of Unio hem- In ti. I have not found them in U. decumbens or U. lui>*e»sis.
In 1830 Isaac Lea described Unio trapezoides in the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, Volume IV, page 69, and called attention to the fact that this species possessed a strongly developed muscle scar near the center of the disk, which he then named the ventral cicatrix. It is present (sometimes double) and well developed in most specimens, feeble in others, or it may be found in one valve and wanting in the other, or absent altogether. The same is true of most of the species of the plicate group of Unios, which are all nearly related; N. multiplicatus, inululiitu*, perji/i<-n- tus, etc., but I have never found these scars in the nearly allied U. xlniitiann-8 Lea, of Georgia, which is so close to U. trapezoides that Call has placed it in the synonymy of that species.1 In V. tm/n-- zoides there may be one or two anterior pedal scars and they are often widely separated.
A wonderful degree of variation is also found in the number and position of the dorsal scars of many species of Unios, and in the degree of development of the scars in the pallial line. In Mr. B- H. AV right's new Unio,— U. bursa past or is, from Tennesseee, the pallial line is generally composed of deep, strongly marked scars, to which the mantle is attached ; in Unio ventricosus it is often so faint as to be scarcely discernable. I know of no character more variable and wholly unreliable as a means of classification in the Uriionidce than that of the muscle scars and my studies lead me to believe that it is seldom a mark of even specific value.
'Tr. Acad. Sci. St. Louis, VII, Xo. 1. p. 54.
THE NAUTILUS. 31
DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW SPECIES OF ACHATINELLIDJE FROM THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.
BY D. D. BALDWIN.
Partulina Hayseldeni n. sp.
Shell sinistral, minutely perforated, rather solid, ovately conical, apex subacute ; surface shining, marked with delicate incremental stria?, and under a lens exhibiting very close, minute, decussating spiral lines ; embryonic whorls faintly cross-lined. Color generally of a uniform reddish-brown ; sometimes the coloring of the middle portion of the whorl shades into white on the apical whorls, and in some examples a white line revolves below the suture. Whorls 5o, slightly convex, narrowly margined above, the last carinated or angulated at the periphery, the angle becoming almost obsolete to- wards the aperture ; suture distinctly impressed and often margined above by the continuation of the peripheral keel. Aperture oblique, subovate, white within with a pinkish tinge ; peristome white, rather obtuse, thickened within, the basal and columellar margins slightly reflexed ; columella terminating in a strong, flexuous, white fold.
Length 17i ; diani. 10 mm.
Habitat, Island of Lanai.
Animal when extended in motion longer than the shell. Mantle slate color with a brown band encircling the outer edge. Foot above and below almost white with a yellowish tinge. Tentacles white tinged with slate.
This species is allied to P. semicarinata Newc. which is found in another district of the same island. The latter is a light straw- colored, more conical, and invariably dextral shell. The animals of the two species are somewhat similar, but sufficiently different to warrant the separation.
We take pleasure in dedicating this handsome shell to Mr. Walter H. Hayselden, the young naturalist who discovered both it and the following species. Amastra aurostoma n. sp.
Shell dextral, imperforate, solid, elongately ovate, spire conical, apex subacute; surface lusterless, striated with somewhat irregular, coarse growth stria?; the embryonic whorls finely, radiately sulcated. Color light brown, apex dark chestnut ; the lower whorls covered with a black, fugacious epidermis which is generally dense on the last whorl and more sparsely distributed on the other
LIBRARY
THE NAUTILUS.
Whorls 6£, somewhat convex; suture well impressed. Aperture ovate, a little oblique, of an orange yellow color within ; peristome simple, acute, not thickened within, extremities united by a thick, orange tinted, parietal callosity; eolumella orange-yellow, flexuoiis, abruptly terminating in a thin, slightly curved lamellar plait.
Length, 25 ; diam. 12 nun.
Habitat, Island of Lanai.
Animal when extended in motion as long as the shell. Mantle dark slate, margined on the outer edge with reddish-brown. Foot above and below very dark-brown, the sides studded with large patches of darker hue, the posterior portion tinged with red. The head above and tentacles covered with almost black granulations.
The prominent features of this shell are its elongate form and orange colored aperture.
ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT
[Conducted in thr int<'uM nf tlir Isaac Lea Conchological Om^tcr i>f Hir Agassiz Associa- tion by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Willia
The first week in May, the vol. of Transactions crossed the Rocky Mountains on its way east. Our members in the Eastern States have been very patient in awaiting its arrival. The address of Mr. James H. Lemon has been changed from 134 Grange Ave., to L'TO Markham St., Toronto, Canada.
In the January number of THE NAUTILUS the Editors noted the publication of the Reverend George W. Taylor's, "Preliminary Catalogue of the Marine Mollusks of the Pacific Coast of Canada, with notes on their Distribution." This Catalogue uill not only be found helpful to members of our chapter residing on the Pacific Coast, but useful to all members interested in the Molluscan fauna' of the coast. The bulletin shows great care in bringing the nomen- clature up to date. The class! firati idopted by Dr. \V. II. Call
in liis " Marine Mollusks of the S. E. Coast of the United States," has been followed by Mr. Taylor. The Catalogue is for sale by John Durie & Son, Ottawa, and The Copp ( 'lark Co., Toronto, Canada.
Another new name is added to our membership roll, Mr. Leon Walker, Chelsea, Mass. Members will please notice that additions
THE XAUTII.l>.
to our membership are now published in THE NAUTILUS. Our Chapter is so large that the small amount charged for dues, for one member, is consumed by the. time the new one has been introduced by postal card to all the members of the chapter. THE NAUTILUS is our chapter organ and no member can afford to be without it.
The Juvenile Section is reported in The Observer, Portland, Conn., May number page 265, under the title " Notes from Young Conehologists."
AN INTERROGATION REGARDING THE FOSSIL SHELLS OF SAN PEDRO BAY.
[An Extract from the Report of the Hon Delos Arnold. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Conchologicul Chapter for 1895].
It is probable there are many species of shells undiscovered in the hidden recesseiTof our extended shores, that will be revealed from time to time as our facilities for systematic collecting are increased. This feature of the question cannot but inspire the devotees of con- chology — both old and young — with a keen interest. The possibility, not to say strong probability, of being instrumental in adding new- forms to the accumulating list is an ever present incentive to earnest, careful and intelligent observation. To lend color to the idea of the existence of undiscovered species in this region, is the fact that among three hundred or more species and varieties of Quaternary and Tertiary marine fossils that have been discovered in the rocks and raised beaches in the vicinity of San Pedro Bay there are many that are supposed to be extinct in this locality, and yet, the same or nearly allied species are known to be living along the shores of Alaska and Washington, and some even as far south as the northern shores of California. Among there are ; Muchcera pntula Dixon, Pi'iene Oregoneiisis Redf., Pi:deii hantatus Sby., AV-ww Gali/ornica <Jonr. and others.
There are several species, also, that are occasionally found alive at Santa Cataline Id. and possibly in the water in San Pedro Bay, whose scarcity excites the suspicion that they are " in the course of ultimate extinction," or at least, in the Hue of departure. Among these are :
CJwysodomui tabulatus Buird.
Fusus Barbarensis Trask.
34 THE NAUTILUS.
Surcula Cai'penteriana Gabb.
Surcii/i.1 Tri/oniniia Gabb.
Venus (Chione) ynidla Brod. & Sby.
Pecten (Janira) fioridus Hinds.
Lucina acutilineata Conr.
Nassa insciilpta Cpr.
Hemicardiwm biangulata.
It would hardly be safe with our limited knowledge of the mol- lusca of this region, at this time, to assert with positiveness that any of the supposed extinct species, are really extinct species, and yet, the fact is apparent that even those species that are occasionally found living here bear a very small relation, so far as numbers are concerned, to those that existed in the past. The fact is further ap- parent that along the northern shores of the Continent these same species are found in great abundance ; this might suggest a probable migration.
Still the uncertainty of the matter, and the possibility of disprov- ing the theory of extinction by an actual discovery of the living in- dividuals here add interest and a stimulus to collectors and scien- tists.
If, after an exhaustive search for these missing species, it shall appear that they have really disappeared, then the interesting ques- tion arises as to the reason of their departure.
What were the conditions surrounding this locality in the Quater- nary and Pliocene periods that made it possible for these forms to exist then, that are now so changed as to render it impossible for them to exist at present, and why are they still living along more northern shores ?
The study of these questions may lead us somewhat out of the line of conchology and into other branches of scientific investigation, but as knowledge is what we should all covet, it might not be time mis- spent to look into the subject.
NOTES AND NEWS.
AMERICAN PALEONTOLOGY.— For some time past we have been considering plans to increase the scope of our present publication, " Bulletins of American Paleontology," in several ways, the details
THE NAUTILUS. 35
of which it is not necessary here to enumerate. In order, however, to ascertain what material suitable for a purely paleontological pub- lication may be available, we have concluded to offer a prize $50.00 for the best American (North, Central or South) paleoutological article presented for publication, as a separate Bulletin, before May 1, 1897. The article must be a well written original monograph or report upon some special problem studied in the h'eld or laboratory or both, i. e., not a mere compilation from books. This report may contain from 50 to 200 pages and from 5 to 10 full page plates of the size of our Bulletins. It may be written in any language using Roman characters. The judges named below shall have the power to divide the prize in two equal parts in case of doubt between the merits of two excellent articles, or to withhold the prize in case no suitable articles appear.
JUDGES: H. S. Williams, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; T. W. Stanton, U. S. Geol. Surv., Washington, D. C. ; G. D. Harris, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.
Address all communications to G. D. Harris, Department of Paleontology, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.
AGRIOLIMAX CAMPESTRIS IN THE PECOS VALLEY, N. M. — When recently at Roswell, N. M., I found a few specimens of Ag. eompes- tris. This is only the second locality for the species known in New Mexico, and is the first record of any slug from the drainage-area of the Pecos River. — T. D. A. COCKERELL, Mesilln, N. M.
THE EDITOR acknowledges receipt of living West Coast Helices from Mrs. E. P. Gay lord and Mr. Fred L. Button. They are en- joying life in the vivarium of the Academy of Natural Sciences.
NOTICES OF PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
A STUDY OF THE UNIONID;E OP ARKANSAS, WITH INCIDENTAL
REFERENCE TO THEIR DISTRIBUTION IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
By R. Ellsworth Call.— (Tr.Acad. Science of St. Louis, VII, 1895). Under the above title the author has published a catalogue of the Vnlonidce of the state of Arkansas, with partial bibliographic refer- ences and copious notes. The species are arranged in alphabetical
36 THE NAUTILI'S.
order, for convenience of reference, no doubt, for Mr. Call has else- where acknowledged and used the natural system of placing allied forms in groups. A number of the species, especially those of La- mark, are illustrated by carefully drawn wood cuts, the original and additional descriptions are given.
Lamarck's types were only briefly described by him in the Animaux sans Vertebres, and were not figured, and as he had but a limited amount of material on which to base these descriptions, and many of his localities were erroneous much of his work naturally rests under a cloud. Lea examined most of what were believed to be his types of Naiades, and it is on his testimony that our identifications of the species of the great French Naturalist, for the most part, rest. The determinations of the Lamarckian species given in this paper agree with those of Lea.
Mr. Call has long been known as an extensive collector and a careful student of the North American Unionidoe, a.nd is deservingly considered a high authority on the subject. The only criticism on his paper that occurs to the writer of this review is that one or two errora are made in identification, and that he has placed rather too many .-pccies in the synonymy. Uni<> lircri<l<'ns is not the male of what Lea afterwards described as ?7.arT«e/orwm, for although closely allied it is perfectly distinct. The former in its younger stages is more compressed, and the remarkable swelling in the posterior region of the female is always full and distinct, projecting below the base of the shell. N. arcwformi* is always greatly inflated, is more strongly angled posteriorly, and the swelling of the female shell is nut so distinct, nor does it usually project below the ventral line. It is not colored like V. br< n<li:n*.
L'niii i'< mistits Lea is a solid shell, with broad, distinct, green rays, and is probably only a heavy form of ('. .<ji<ii<il,iiti.t, while U. /itm*! Marsh, is more delicate, and has indistinct, wavy hair-line radiations of dull green, and a general reddish tint thoughout the shell.
In general the synonymy is quite correct, and Mr. Call has made a good move in I lie direction of checking the enormous multiplica- tion of specific names that are founded on mere variations nr insuf- ficient material. The paper is a valuable and welcome addition to the literature of the North American Unionithe. — C. T. SIMPSON.
At a special meeting of the trustees of the Detroit Museum of Art, held June 25th, a bronze medal was presented to Mr. Frederick Stearns, in recognition of his valuable gifts and untiring efforts on behalf of the Museum during the past twelve years.
THE NAUTILUS.
Vol~ x. AUGUST, 1896. No. 4
A NEW SPECIES OF POMATIOPSIS.
BY HENRY A. PILSBKY.
The genus Pomatiopsis is peculiar to North America. All of the species occur in the temperate portion of the continent, and the whole United States, excepting perhaps parts of the Koeky Mount- tain region, still but imperfectly explored for small shells, is occupied by the various forms. The best-known species P. lapidaria Say, is as much a terrestrial mollusk as most of the Succineas. They can- not live for any length of time immersed in water, and I have drowned specimens, just as laud snails may be drowned, by confin- ing them in a vessel full of water. Information upon the other species is less definite, but P. cincinnatiensis at least seems to be of aquatic habits.
The genus is much more distinct than most genera of Amiticolidce, the dentition being, as William Stimpson first pointed out, strikingly characteristic of the group. The shells vary from the high, turrited Bythinella form, to nearly as short as some Amnicolas.
The species described below is the third from the Eastern States, and the fourth species of the genus, the others being P. lapidaria Say, P. cineinnatiensis Lea and P. intermedia Tryon. Pomatiopsis Hinkleyi n. sp.
Shell perforate, turrited, decidedly stouter in figure than P. lapid- aria, but less compact and widely conic than P. cincinnatiensis. Olive-brown. Surface with growth-lines about as in P. lapidaria. Whorls 6, very convex, separated by a deep suture. Aperture
38 THE NAUTILUS.
slightly exceeding one-third the length of shell, ovate, the outer lip strongly arcuate above, columellar margin flattened above; per- istorae continuous, the adnate parietal portion longer than in 1'. /apidaria. Alt. 6, diam. o-5 mm.
Black Falls, above Flormce, Alabama (A. A. Hinkley, 1894).
The species is somewhat intermediate between P. lapiduria and P. cincinnatiensis, but more like the former, from which, however, it is very easily distinguished on comparison. The form is stouter, the aperture larger, the outer lip more strongly curved above, and the color duskier. The apex is somewhat eroded in all of the well grown specimens. The dentition is similar in general characters to that of P. lapidaria.
I am indebted to Mr. Bryant Walker for the specimens, which were collected by Mr. Hinkley. Upon inquiry, my correspondent quotes as follows from Mr. Hinkley's letter: " Most of the distance from Florence to the last lock of the canal there is a steep rocky bank ; a few rods from the water of the river over this bank and out of it are several small streams and springs of clear water. The species under consideration was seen at most of these small streams but was not numerous except at the two falls from which they were taken. Three forms of Goniobasis were taken from the same streams. Now, while the Goniobasis were in the water, the others were not. They were taken from moss and decaying vegetation but were kept damp by the spray of the falls or by the dripping water under the rock back of the falls and the saturated moss. As I made a hurried trip the day I collected these shells, they were not examined closely, but I took it for granted they were feeding iu the decaying vegeta- tion. None of them were found beyond the reach of the spray but still they might have been hidden under the rubbish."
From this the new species appears, as Mr. Walker remarks, to be clearly Pomatiopsine in habits. In choosing a specific term for the form, I have acted upon the suggestion of Mr. Walker that the name of one of our best collectors be associated with this interesting species.
THE WEIGHT AND SIZE OF "SHELLS.
BY REV. HENRY W. WINKLEY.
With the assistance of Mr. D. E. Owen, teacher of Physics in Thornton Academy, the writer has weighed a few species of minute shells. The results are given as follows :
THE NAUTILUS. 39
Twelve specimens of Axtyris htnntu from Wood Hole, Mass, weighed 0.095 gms. This would make one specimen weigh about <l.( IDS gm. Reducing this to avoirdupois weight we have one shell weighing 0.000282 oz.
The next example is Cerithiopsis Greenii — being the first of the species found in Canadian waters, i. e. from Prince Edwards Island. Ten specimens weighed 0.023 gin. or in ounces one specimen would weigh 0.000081 oz.
Two sets of Odostomia semimtda were compared. The one being, like the above, the first found at Prince Edwards Island. The others came from near Woods Hole, Mass. It was found that the ( 'unadians weighed each 0.000048 oz. while those from Mass, weighed each 0.000105 oz. The difference in size is noticeable without weighing. This proves that Mass, is a better place to live than Prince Edwards Island. The most interesting of all is New Eng- land's conchological elephant, Skenea planorbw. The set weighed was found near Saco, Me. The average weight of a specimen is O.OOI>018 oz. At this rate it would require 56,700 to make an ounce, 907,200 to the pound, and a ton would require 18,144,000,000. At the rate of five cents each, a pound would be worth $45,360.00. I am sorry to say I cannot supply them by the ton, or pound.
After weighing, the writer became interested in size comparisons, and two species from the same region, i. e. Saco, were compared. The largest shell in my New England cabinet is Maetra, solidissima, and the smallest Skenea planorbw. The Mactra weighs 17i oz. It would require 1,004,250 of Skenea to balance the one Mactra. The surface of the Mactra was reduced to a flat as near as possible, divided into small squares, and the Skenea was placed on the small square to estimate the comparative size. Dividing an inch into sixteen squares, Skenea would find room enough for 25 on each square, or 405 to the square inch. On the total surface of the Mactra (including both sides) there would be space enough for 30,000 individuals of Skenea to rest comfortably. The above species are all marines and hence the comparisons are more interesting since conditions of life are similar. Much larger forms occur in other waters but the specimens selected represent the extremes of the New England area. I need hardly say that in commercial life these -extremes are avoided and the medium sizes are of more economic value and popularity.
40 THE NAUTILUS.
SOME NOTES ON FLORIDA MOLLUSCA.
BY FRANK A. WHITE.
Just before the middle of March I went on a trip to the head- waters of the Halifax river, which is one of the coast-wise waters of Florida. On that trip I had the pleasure of picking up two shells of Argonanta argo var. ameriranu. I found them on the Atlantic Beach about thirty miles north from Mosquito Inlet.
During the past winter and spring there have been over a hundred of these shells picked up in this vicinity. I never heard of but seven having been found on this beach previous to this season.
I also found Cyrenoide* floridana Ball. These animals were alive and in apparent health, about one hundred feet from the creek and from J to i inch below the surface of the soil. The laud was low and at the time of finding was wet from a copious rain. I also came across a locality where Physa pomilia Conr. are found, in abundance in running water.
In January, 1895, I spent sometime at Crescent Beach about twelve miles south of Cape Canaveral. One day I walked south about two or two and a half miles to " the rocks" and found a large live Cyprcea exanthema although it differs very much in contour and spots from the " C. exanthema" in my collection. Thinking per- haps some of the measurements might interest the readers of the NAUTILUS I submit the following :
Length 113, width 60'. mm.; height when lying with aperture down, 46 mm.; aperture at the widest place 19 mm.; spire not covered, and shows five volutions, dental plications on lip 40 ; plica- tions on columella 34; lip only slightly inflexed having the inner side of lip all visible.
When found the entire shell was a rich dark brown externally ; purple inside where visible. The outside showed no trace of band, spot, or growth-lines but it has faded much although kept in the dark most of the time, and now shows growth-lines more than half way round, across the back it shows three light bands and near both lips light spots. In the summer of 1881 I found one somewhat smaller of the same rich brown color and in just about the same place. I have never known of any of this species being found alive any farther north than " the rocks."
THE NAUTILUS. 41
A NEW SPECIES OF BULIMUS.
BY H. A. PILSBRY.
Auctus ill Stearnsianus n. i
Shell narrowly umbilicate, subulate, tapering, rather solid but not thick; covered with an opaque dark olivaceous-brown cuticle, indis- tinctly and irregularly streaked obliquely, and wanting on the fleshy-whitish earlier whorls. Surface shining, with close, fine growth-wrinkles and very minute, close and superficial spiral striae. Spire tapering regularly from the last whorl to the obtuse apex, which is smooth (but somewhat worn) in the specimens. Whorls?, hardly convex, with linear sutures, the last not deflexed.
Aperture contained about 2J times in alt. of shell, long-ovate, dull purplish within, somewhat oblique; peristome white, obtuse, a trifle expanded at the edge, the margins in a plane and brought for- ward to the level of the front of the body-whorl ; columellar margin expanded ; parietal callus rather heavy.
Alt. 19, diam. 7 ; alt. of aperture 8 mill.
Alt. 19*, diam. 75; alt, of aperture 8i mill.
Sierra de la Ventana, Argentina (U. S. F. C.).
A peculiar species, not agreeing well with others of this group, but so far as I can see not referable to any section of Bulimulus. In my opinion, Anctits is to be grouped with Odontostomus, Tomigerus and Anostoma, not with the true Bulimuli.
The first whorl in this species is truncated pyramidal, with the earlier third depressed, rapidly ascending; a comma-shaped apical pit passed into the suture. The whorl just back of the upper angle of the aperture, is somewhat flattened, recalling the condition so con- spicuous in Plekocheiltis Taylorianus Rve. It is named in honor of my friend R. E. C. Stearns, who some years ago transmitted to me for identification specimens collected by the "Albatross."
LAND MOLLUSCA FROM THE REJECTAMENTA OF THE RIO GRANDE,
NEW MEXICO.
BY T. D. A. COCKERELL.
A few weeks ago I collected a quantity of small land shells in the rejectamenta of the Rio Grande at.Mesilla, and sent them all to Dr. Sterki, who has kindly identified them as follows:
42 THE NAUTILUS.
(1.) Hijnlinln minii.ieiil't liinn., Nineteen examples.
(2.) H. lirriiinfii/n Sterki. Thirteen.
(3.) Zonitniili-x urboreus Say. One, immature, weathered.
(4.) Helicodiscus lineatus S&y. Five.
(5.) Vallonia ji> i^pci-ticu Sterki. One; small, whorls scarcely over three.
(6.) V. gracilicosta Reinh. (probably). Three.
(7.) V. cyclopliorella Aucey. One.
(8.) Buliminu* (" Pupa ") falla.i Say. Fifteen.
(9.) Pupa blandi Morse. Eleven. " Very variable iu altitude ; a few smaller specimens are scarcely or not distinguishable from 1'. fri/i/ici.iti.t Studtr, from the eastern continent, except in color, which, iu P. blandi and other species of the group, is very variable." (Sterki.)
(10.) P. arizoneims (Gabb) W. G. B. Three. With distinct ribs.
(11.) P. hordeacea Gabb. Eighty-four. " Rather variable in size; one specimen is of considerably smaller diameter than the average." (Sterki.)
(12.) P. hordeacella Pilsbry. Thirteen.
(13.) Vertigo ovata Say. Twelve. Two are lower than the rest, with the base somewhat truncate.
(14.) Clonella lubrica Miill. One.
(15.) Can/cJilnin e.ciguum Say. One.
Mesilla is much lower down the river than San Marcial, whence a rejectamenta-collection was formerly recorded. Yet the types found are largely boreal. I was particularly surprised to come across the Cionelln, which must surely have floated a long way. There was no vestige of any Holospira. Li mini n, Planorbis * jiui-ru* Say, and two others) and Physa occurred with the above land-shells, but there were not any traces of 8j>h(erium or Pisidium, nor of any operculates.
Further Record* of Land Shells from Xfir Mi.ri«>.
I am now able to offer two more lists of New Mexico shells, all identified, as before, by Dr. V. Sterki, who has been most kind in attending to them.
(1.) Shells from the rejectamenta of the Rio Grande at Rincon, N. M. This is between Mesilla and San Marcial. They were with much juniper debris. 14 Hijaliitia minuscula Binn. 3 Vertigo ovata Say. "One albino ?"
THE NAUTILUS. 43
10 Hyalinia fawuscula Sterki. 2 Sucrtiieo ai-ura Say.
2 Helieodiseus lineatus Say. 1 Va/loiiia costata Miill.
17 Buliminus fallax S&y. Some apparently albino. 12 Pupa hordeacea Gabl).
1 Pupa procera Gld. " Light colored or possibly albino."
18 Pupa hordeacelld Pilsb. " Very variable in altitude, as usual."
3 Pupa blandi Mse. "One quite small, and like triplicata Stud." There were also 9 Plan»i-l>i* jmrvus Say, and 2 Planorbis sp. Dr.
Sterki had not before seen Pupa procera from so far west.
(2.) Shells from debris at Lone Mountain near Silver City, N. M., about liOOO ft. alt. They may have been washed two or three miles, but no great distance, certainly.
6 Hyalinia minuseula Biun. 87 Pupa hordeacea Gabb.
22 HynUnia ltrnu.--cula Sterki. 1 Pupa liardeacella Pilsb.
1 Vallonia perspectiva Sterki. 6 Pupa pentoduit Say.
1 Vertigo ovata Say. The range of F. perspectiva is extended.
ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT.
[Conducted in the int. n-t of tin- Isaac Lea Couchologii-al Chapter of tliu Agassiz Associa- tion by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.]
Members of our Chapter who have not received the Transactions •will be glad to learn that before many weeks the volume will have gone the rounds of the chapter. With two or three exceptions, members have promptly forwarded the volume after retaining it but one week, and the General Secretary desires to thank members for their promptness in notifying her when forwarding the reports.
A CHAPTER ON METHODS.
[From the report of Mr. A. H. Gardner. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Chapter for 1895.]
Not the smallest object to the collector and conchologist is sym- metry in the arrangement of the cabinet. Nothing can appear worse than an untidy heterogenous array of specimens, which too frequently reflects the spirit of its author.
44 THE NAUTILUS.
Efforts in this line do not necessarily entail expense, but, they do call for more care and work than some people like to give. Per- haps the first thing the collector thinks about after he has his spec- imens and has determined them, is of some arrangement whereby he can secure the safety and identity of the separate species, and on this account he casts his eyes around for trays or the bottom parts of boxes. Now there is abundance of boxes to be found but a scarcity of those that will suit his purpose, and so he frequently takes the best he can find and proceeds to form his collection with the original lot as a basis of supplies.
This was at least, my experience. I tried druggists sundries houses and dealers in these supplies but I could never get the size, shape or color I desired, until I made up my mind to make them myself and in this way satisfy my requirements, to my own satisfac- tion. As several people have frequently commented on their neat appearance, and as the process is comparatively easy, I conceived the idea that it might be of use to others, in our chapter, I herewith give the modus operand!.
My trays are all one half inch in depth, in width multiple of one half inch, viz.; Is, 3, 6 inches, which I have found the largest size required ; in length, they run as follows 1, 1 i, 2, 2->, 3, 4 and 6 inches. They are made from what are called 8-ply blanks, — a fine white smooth card board which I purchased cut to the various sizes from the Hasting Card Company, Beekman St., New York, at very nom- inal prices. The first operation is the gouging of the corners thus : (In this report, Mr. Gardner has three simple cards glued on his Ms., they are all 21 by 2 inches, and, are numbered 1,2 and 3. One half inch from the edge of the card numbered " 1," there are four corners marked in ink, making four right angles, these indicate the four lines to be scored with the knife, M. B. W.). Then with a sharp knife I score the lines from edge to edge half through, (No. 2) then cut out the corners and turn up the sides, the long ones first, (No. 3). The short sides are scored a trifle irregularly that they may lie evenly in the finished box and maintain the required size. (On each of the short sides allowance is made in order that they may stand up within the longer sides and make a perfect tray the same size top and bottom. The difference is about equal to the thickness of the card- board").
I then rule a sheet of white paper with lines ' iilch apart in width, and 1 inch in length, fasten it with four pins to a board, and cover
THE NAUTILUS. 45
its ruled surface with gum arabic laid on smoothly with a brush. When dry it is cut into gummed tags * inch wide and 1 inch long with which the sides of the trays are fastened together on the out- side. Of course this is a little tedious and I found it best to set my- self the task of making one dozen a day, and very soon accumulated several gross of assorted sizes, and it is an easy tiling now when lam short of any particular size, to replenish the stock.
The cards to make the size of boxes given in this report should be cut to the following sizes 2|X2, 4X2i, 4X3, 4X3*, 4X4, 4X7, and 7X7. They will give an appearance of uniformity to the drawers and save a great deal of space. I usually place a card i inch in width to just fit the inside of each tray, ruled on the top and bottom red lines, this is for the name, authority, and locality of specimens, and other data. All shells whose size will admit of it I enclose in glass vials, square at the bottom and with no neck, they are about 2i inches long so that the cork takes up the balance of the space in the tray, and of a width to enable them to hold such specimens as Heli.c tridenlata. For the smallest boxes the vials are 1 1 inches long and about 1 inch in thickness. Here, in New York, they can be bought for about 50 to 70 cents a gross.
For the reception of the smallest species, Vvrtigo Pupa, etc., and in order to bring the characteristics of these minute shells promi- nently before the observer, I adopted the following plan : Equidistant from the sides of a 3x1 inch slip of card board I punched a hole with a die, made for the purpose; and then gummed this slip to another of equal size on which the surface beneath the whole was covered with black paper. The specimens were then mounted with gum in this depression and the whole covered with one of the ordinary 3x1 inch glass slips used by microscopists, those with rough edges pre- ferred. The whole thing was then bound around its edges with slips of gummed paper 8 inches long by about } wide and the edges trim- med with scissors when dry. This plan also protected the shells from dust and worked capitally when examining their apertures under a low microscopic power, a very necessary proceeding when determin- ing or explaining to others the difference in the various species.
The gum I found best adapted for mounting the shells was picked gum arabic — a saturated solution in water mixed with an equal quan- tity of glycerine, then filtered and a few drops of acetic acid added, this never cracks, nor shows any objectionable gloss. Want of space has compelled my relinquishing this plan, for the smallest size trays and vials, which, however, I have never found as convenient.
46 THE NAUTILUS.
NOTE ON BULIMUS HANLEYI AND B. CORONATDS.
BY H. A. PILSBRY.
The two Brazilian species mentioned above are thin, unicolored, glossy shells, with the spire long, suture crenulated, columella simple and foldless, and the outer lip thin and acute. B. Haiileyi Pf'r. was (with B.recluzinnus Pf'r.) placed in a new suhgeuus, 0.n/f/« //t/N' by Albers in 1850; but von Martens in 1860 referred it to Or/ilnm*. B. i-ni-iintitn* Pfr. was placed by Albers in Leptomenis, but von Martens transferred the species to Peronceus, where it has been re- tained by subsequent authors.
The characters of the apical whorls show at once that the refer- ence of the species to Leptoments (a section of Eulimulus) is errone- ous ; while the structure of the columella and the texture of the shell equally remove the species from Perontru*.
The texture of the shell is that of such South American Stenogy- roid species as J5. cakareus Born and B. cuneus Pfr., etc. which have been called Obeliscus, but for which the name NEOBELiscus2 is now proposed. These, however, have a bulbous, more or less costulate apex, without apical dimple.
For B. Hanleyi and B. cornnatus, we suggest the name SYXAP- TKRPES, the former species being the tvpe. The conchological feat- ures of the new group are : an oblong-turrited, thin, glossy, more or less vitreous shell with crenulated sutures, rather obtuse (but not bulbous) nuclear whorl with comma-shaped apical dimple, the aper- ture long-ovate with thin, sharp outer lip and simple columella, not truncate below, its edge narrowly reflexed above.
I do not know that any species except the two mentioned belong to this group. Its systematic position, if we judged by shell char- acters, would seem to be in the Achatinidcs near Neobelisciis: but if Binney's identification3 is correct, the jaw and dentition are consider- ably like those of some forms of the genus Strophoeheilus, and, there- fore, as far as their testimony goes, indicate a position for the group in the Helicidce.
1 Not Oxyfhilui'Fiti., 1S33, nor Oxychcila Dej., 1825.
2 OMistus was restricted by Gray in 1847 (P. Z. S., p. 17ti) to /?. ,'/-tus,itns GineL.a Mu'la^i-rursprcies for which the name Clavator was prop.»fcl in I860. Humphrey* had pruvicmsly u-rd Obtliscus in another sense.
'See under Orphans Haiileyi Pfr., in Annals of the N. Y. Acad.. Sri.. Ill, j>. 115, pi. xi. tig. I.) I. jaw and dentition).
THE NAUTILUS. 47
NOTES AND NEWS.
MESSRS. S. H. STUPAKOFF AND GEO. H. CLAPP gave a lecture on shells at the regular monthly meeting of the Academy of Science and Art of Pittsburgh, held in the lecture room of the Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, on Friday Evening, June 5th. It was illus- trated by specimens from the collections in the Museum, and wall charts. After the lecture an adjournment was taken to the Museum. The lecture is the first of a series arranged with the idea of populariz- ing the Museum, which occupies spacious rooms in the Carnegie Library.
NOTE ON LIA, ALBERS. — The names Lia and Lelu being pre- occupied, Schaufuss proposed the term INLIACULUS for this Jamaican group of CylindrellidcB, in the first edition of Psetel's Catalogue (MolluBCorum Systema et Catalogus. System und Aufzahlungsam- mtlicher Conchylien der Sammlung von Fr. Paetel, 1869, p. 15). This will take precedence over Vendryesia Simpson (Proc. I). S. Nat. Mus., xvii, 1894, p. 430). FAUXULUS Schauf. is proposed for F'/it/a H. Ad., a South African group of Pupidce, and new names are also brought forward for Parthenia, Cantharidus, Orphnus, Aciculn, Rupicola and some other groups. Most of these changes are un- necessary, but they seem to have escaped general notice.
NOTE ON MACTRA. — In the Saco market, a few days ago, a spec- imen of Mactra tolidisiima was opened, and found to have another of the same species in the gill cavity ; the sizes in inches were :
1. 31X21X1!'*.
2. 11X11 XI.
The size of the smaller leads me to snspect that it had been some time in the larger, not as a parasite, but as partner.— HENRY W. WINKLEY, Saco, Me.
MR. CHARLES W. JOHNSON, junior editor of the NAUTILUS, sailed on the 13th of July for Liverpool. He will spend the summer in studying the Museums of England, France and Germany, returning in September.
MR. FREDERICK STEARNS, of Detroit, Mich., has departed upon an extended tour in South America.
NOTICES OF PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
DIAGNOSES OF NEW SPECIES OF MOLLUSKS FROM: THE WEST O > OF AMERICA, by W. H. Dall (From Proceedings of the U. S. Na- tional Museum xviii, 1895, pp. 7-20).
48 THE NAUTILUS.
Calliostoma iridium, West Mexico.
Calliostoma turbiuum. Santa Barbara Is., 100 fnis.
Auaplocamua (new genus) borealis, S. of Uiiimak Isld., 61 fms. " This very remarkable shell recalls a fresh-water genus at ouce and would easily be overlooked amid a quantity of Anctilosa dila- tata. * * * It is probably referable to the family Triehotro- pidoe."
Solariella nuda, off Lower California, 298-455 fms.
Solariella ceratophora, off La Paz.
Rimula (?) expansn, Gulf of Panama.
Emarginula flabellum. Lower California.
Cloristes carpenter!. Gulf of Panama.
Bentbodolium pacificum, Gulf of Panama.
Phos cocoseusis, Gulf of Panama.
Cominella brunneocincta, Gulf of Panama.
Fusus (?) rufocaudatus, Gulf of Panama.
Tractolira sparta, Gulf of Panama to Acapulco.
This new genus seems to be a degenerate form of Volutidcs.
Scaphella bentlialis, Gulf of Panama.
Caucellaria centrota, Gulf of Panama.
Cancellaria io, Gulf of Panama.
Pleurotoma aulaca, off Acapulco.
Pleurotomella castanea, E. from Galapagos Is.
Fucula iphigenia, Gulf of Panama.
Limopsis compressus, Gulf of Panama.
Philobrya atlantica, Off Argentina.
Callocardia stearnsii, Off Washington, near Tillamook.
Callocardia lepta and gigas, Gulf of California.
Callocardia ovalis, Gulf of Panama.
Callogonia angulata, Gulf of Panama.
Periploma stearnsii, Gulf of California.
Periploma carpenter!, Gulf of California.
All the species are from considerable depths ; and many of them
being of considerable interest, figures will be very acceptable. The
Philobrya is the first marine form in which a glochidium stage, com- parable to that of the Unlonidce, has been recognized. We have in
a former issue referred to the important light on the morphology of
the gill supplied by the Callocardia st'-nrnsii.
THE NAUTILUS.
VOL. x. SEPTEMBER, 1896. No. 5
NOTES ON SOME WEST AMERICAN CHITONS
];Y H A. PILSBKY.
I.
Among some interesting small Chitons from San Pedro, Califor- nia, collected by Mr. T. S. Oldroyd, which I have lately examined (through the kindness of Dr. Dull), the following call for especial notice, as they otter difference!! from the types figured in the Manual of Conchology.
Mopalia imporcata Cpr.
The single specimen measures 9 by 18J mm., and is somewhat more elevated than the type of the species; color pale olivaceous, white towards the girdle, speckled on the ribs of lateral areas with brown, and with a brown patch on each pleural tract. The teeth are very distinctly thickened along the outer edges of the slits, as in the typical Callistochitons. Sculpture typical.
The color is different from that of the type, and the specimen is larger.
Ischnoohiton scabricostatus Cpr.
Lateral areas with four (on one side of valve ii, five ; on one side of valves iv and v, three) radial riblets, which are very weakly hardly perceptibly, granose. Sutures very feebly crenate. Anterior and posterior valves with 9 slits each. Color reddish (but not at
all of an orange cast), with a few inconspicuous white spots on
some of the lateral areas.
50 THE NAUTILUS.
The typical specimen of /. scabricostatus was orange with some dark sutural dots, and the lateral areas are three ribbed, some low pustules on the ribs. It was described from Cataliua Island.
Both this species and the last are excessively rare in collections.
II.
A series of Chitons received from Miss Ida M. Shepard, of Long Beach, Cal., contained specimens of a Callistochiton, which, while allied to C. decoratus Cpr. of Lower California, yet differs in im- portant respects. Callistochiton decoratus var. punctocostatus n. v.
Similar to C. decoratus in sculpture of end valves and lateral areas ; but the central areas have no wide, smooth triangle at the ridge, such as types of decoratus have (Man. of Conch., xiv, pi. 58, fig. 18); being somewhat irregularly pitted toward the beaks, and with rows of pits on each side of a small oblong smooth tract at the ridge ; most valves pitted also on the ridge anteriorly.
III.
Finally, with numerous other interesting species collected by Dr. Benj. Sharp in Alaskan waters during the summer of 1895, there were two specimens of a new and unusually distinct form, which we dedicate to that accomplished zoologist.
Traohydermon Sharpii n. sp.
Shell oblong, elevated, carinated, the side slopes somewhat convex. Surface to the naked eye smooth ; lustreless; slightly soiled white, with some faint and ill-defined brownish spots on the lateral areas, the girdle gray.
Anterior valve smooth, with some indistinct concentric grooves; the anterior slope shorter than the posterior edges; hind margin emarginate. Intermediate valves wide and short, with slightly arcuate margins at junction with girdle, hind margins emarginatu Central areas very minutely roughened by diverging wrinkles; lateral areas slightly raised, with a few arcuate faint grooves in the direction of growth-lines. Posterior valve highest at its anterior margin, the suboentral mucro but slightly projecting, the slope be- hind it about straight.
Interior white; valve callus strong; s-inus concave and shallow, not defined at the edges ; sutural lamiiw but little projecting, broadly rounded, invading the sinus. Insertion plates hardly longer than
THE NAUTILUS. 51
the narrowly channelled and solid eaves, sharp and smooth. Slits in valve i, 16; valves ii to vii, 1-1 or 2-1 or 2-2, the larger num- ber prevailing on the more anterior valves; in valve viii, 1:!. Pos- terior tooth in the median valves square and well developed.
Girdle rather unevenly covered, with convex, pebbly, coarse scales, those toward the outer margin elongated, and there is a copious marginal fringe of stout hyaline gpinnles.
Gill-row three-fourths the length of foot, with 21 plumes on each side.
Length about 14, breadth 8 mm.
Unalashka (Dr. Benj. .Sharp!).
The number of slits is unusually great, and they are doubled in some valves; the girdle scales are coarse, the marginal fringe con- spicuous. These characters, together with the general smoothness of the valves externally, and the undefined, concave sinus, will readily distinguish the species. In view of its numerous slits, solid leaves and coarse girdle-scales, it is aberrant for a Truchyder- mon; but the girdle is not that of True hyradsia nor Ischnochiton, and the //ill-row i* short, extending forward only three-fourths the length of the foot, as in the true Trachydermons. It has not the spongy eaves and sinus of Spongioradsia.
The slitting of the intermediate valves is variable, but mainly Radsioid In valve ii there are 2-2 slits ; valves iii, iv, v, 2-1 ; valves vi, vii, 1-1 slits, in the type specimen.
ON THE AMERICAN SPECIES OF CYRENOIDEA.
BY W. II. HALL.
The genus Cyrenoidea was published in June, 1835, by de Joannis, in the Magazin de Zoologie ; by a typographical error, apparently, the Latin form, which was used only once in the article, was printed ' 'i/i'i'iioida. A little later in the same year, Deshayes reclaimed the genus for his manuscript name of CyreneUa, which had been read to the Societe Philomathique in December, 1834. The first published name, corrected as above, has been adopted, in spite of the objection to its formation as a Latin name with a Greek suffix.
The original type, C. Duponti Joannis, is from the Senegal River, West Africa, and it seems that his specimen was defective, since in
52 THE NAUTILUS.
Senegambian specimens I find the hinge quite different from Joannis' figure, and essentially similar to that of American species.
The first of the latter was described by Morelet in 1851, from Porto Rico, under the name of C. americana. It differs from the African species by its smaller and more delicate shell, its more quadrate form and proportionately shorter ligament. Some species reported from the Philippines by Sowerby I have shown to have a different hinge and separated under the name of JoannisieUa.
The first continental American species was obtained by Hemphill in the marshes of southwest Florida (Marco, Boca C'eiga Key, and the Everglades) where it affects brackish, or even tolerably salt water, indifferently. This I named in manuscript C.floridutia (cf. Bull. 37, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1889, No. 217, p. 50). 'Lastly a fine Pliocene species was obtained by Mr. Willcox and myself from the marls of the Caloosahatchie River in south Florida.
Diagnoses of the two latter follow. Cyrenoidea floridana (Dall, MS.. 18SH) n. s.
Shell rounded, small, thin, very delicate, whitish or translucent with a pale, silky, yellowish, dehiscent epidermis ; surface smooth, or sculptured only by incremental lines; interior margin smooth, polished ; the visceral area with a dull, more or less punctate sur- face ; pallial line indistinct, often broken, not sinuous; ligament short, brownish, external ; hinge as in C. diiponti but more delicate. Largest specimen, Ion. 13'5, alt. 12'5, diameter S'O.
The range of the species, as far as known, is from Brunswick Georgia, south to the Everglades on the east, and, on the west, north to Charlotte Harbor and vicinity.
The animal is distinctly Lucinoid, the foot is long, slender, filiform and with an ovate, swollen distal termination. Cyrenoidea oaloosaensis n. s.
Shell large, thin, resembling C. (itn-liJinia, but coarser, with ruder concentric sculpture, sometimes approaching undulations; more in- equilateral, the anterior part relatively smaller and shorter, the anterior left bifid cardinal tooth proportionately much shorter than in cither of the other species of the genus. Lou. of shell 30'9, alt. 27'0, diameter 17'5 mm.
The shell is known, so far, only from the Pliocene marls of south Florida.
All the species are very similar to one another, and differ only in minor details of form and hinge. They would, as a rule, be taken for Diplodoutas except for the differences of the hinge.
THE NAUTILUS. 53
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
LONDON, August 11, 1896.
The providential occurrence of a rainy day gives me the oppor- tunity to make good my promise to write something about the mu- seums and collections of England before my departure next Saturday for Paris.
The main collection of shells in the British Museum (Natural History) occupy a room (or gallery, as it is called) about 140 feet in length and 40 feet wide. The shells are arrayed in 52 beautiful mahogany cases, about 8 feet long and 4J feet in breadth. They extend longitudinally in pairs, making four rows. The cases are of the horizontal type, with inclosed drawers below. The specimens are mounted on wooden tablets, which are covered with blue-gray paper, the smaller and fragile species being in glass-covered boxes which are also placed on tablets. On each side of the room are four smaller cases, which contain special collections, viz., some of the economic uses of shells, the pearl-bearing mollusks, eggs and egg-capsules of various species, Brachiopoda, some groups of the Cephalopoda, etc. At the entrance of the gallery there are two table cases, the one on the left containing pathologic monstrosities produced by disease and the reparation of injuries, the other sections of shells showing the internal structure and mode of growth, also specimens of rock and coral illustrating the boring power of mol- lusks and several kinds of wood perforated by various species of boring mollusks. Near the latter, against the wall, are four upright cases, two on each side ; these contain the specimens too large for the cases containing the general collection. In one of these, pro- tected by a glass cover, you see the great Pleurotomaria adansoniana, from Tobago. This shell a friend of mine saw in an office in Tobago, being used as a paper-weight ! but, when we wrote for it, " the bird had flown." They are evidently not made for paper-weights. Two large valves of Tridacna gigas, 36 inches in length and weighing 310 pounds, also greet you on entering this magnificent room, and, if it was near dinner-time, they would probably increase your appe- tite (since they have become the trade-mark of one of our leading restaurants) ; but you would soon forget the " inner man " when you got among some of the conchological gems. I have spent many hours going over the great collection, and hunting up some of those old rarities we have read about since boyhood : Cypraea princeps
')r THE NAUTILUS.
(=C. valentia Perr)1), C. leucodon Brod., C. broderipi Grav, C. marginata, Conus gloria-maris and many of the beautiful Volutes; and looking at those strange forms obtained by the "Challenger" expedition : Giui-tllfn <ilnlm»ti-iin< (Southern Ocean, 1600 fathoms), Provoeator puleher (105 fathoms off Kerguelen), Volutolithes abyssi- eola (150 fathoms off S. Africa, a genus so common in the Eocene), Colum bari inn pagodoidix (410 fathoms off Sydney, Australia), Lyria /ntfii (275 fathoms off western New Zealand), Oocorys sulcata, and others. A shell that interested me very much was Fulr/nr coarcfntinn Sowb., two specimens from the Gulf of Mexico. It is undoubtedly a dextral Fulgur perversum. It reminds one of F. rajmm from the pliocene of Florida, except that it has a prominent row of small, spine-like tubercles at the periphery. Like the few specimens of T. fii-H-a that are sinistral, we may only see such forms once in a life- time. To describe the beauty and extent of the collection of land shells space would not permit, even if I could. The groups from the Philippines seem to be perfect, while the collection of Amphi- dromus recently monographed by Mr. Hugh Fulton, aud which now contains his types, is a grand sight ; one can hardly imagine the ex- quisite coloring of some of the species. Equally fine are the groups representing the African, South American and West Indian faunas. The Nudibranchiata are shown by an elegant series of glass models, while throughout the entire collection are wax, glass or alcoholic representatives of the soft parts of many of the principal genera.
But this is not the only collection of shells. " The alcoves round the central hall, five on eacli side, are devoted to the Introductory or Elementary Morphological Collection, designed to teach the most important points in the structure of the principal types of animal and plant life, and the terms used in describing them, all of which should be known before the systematic portion of the collection can be studied to advantage. This has been called the ' Index Museum.' " The Mollusca are in alcove No. VII ; here is arranged an elegant series of anatomical preparations, a large series illustrating the forms of shells, and other series showing ornamentation, specific variation, muscular impressions, the hinge-teeth, opercula, etc.
The north end of the central hall is known as the Gallery of Hi iiish Zoology. Here is a large collection of the Mollusca of the IJritish Isles, occupying five of the horizontal and one upright case, the latter containing the large specimens.
I cannot dosr this brief description of the collection of Mollusca in this great Museum without giving you some idea of the vast col-
THE NAUTILUS. 55
lectiou of fossil mollusks. The Cephalopoda occupy a room one-half the size of the shell gallery and containing 16 horizontal cases ar- ranged transversely, while around the entire room are large wall •cases. The Gastropoda and Pclrr i/pmhi occupy one-half of a room the same size as the shell gallery, including large wall cases along the side (the other half of the gallery being given to the fossil Arthropod a, Echinodermatn, etc.). Then there is another gallery the size of this devoted to the Ceplm/'ipwl,!, that contains special collections of historical interest, or collections including a large number of types described and figured in standard monographs. The principal ones are the collection formed by William Smith, the pioneer of geology in England, the Searles Wood collection of Crag Mollusca, the Edwards collection of Eocene Mollusca, the Davidson collection of Brachiopoda, the types of Sowerby's " Mineral Couch- ology," and specimens belonging to the collection of Sir Hans Sloane, which was the nucleus of this great Museum.
There is also a very large collection of fossil Mollusca at the Museum of Practical Geology, which contains the material obtained by the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom, and here I wish to express my sincere thanks to Messrs E. A. Smith, B. B. Wood- ward and the officials of the British Museum generally, as well as to Messrs G. F. Harris, E. R. Sykes and others, who did so much to make my visit to London both pleasant and instructive.
I spent a few very pleasant hours in Cambridge with Rev. Prof. H. M. Gwatkin, who took great pleasure in showing some of his rare forms of radulw. I cannot describe this collection, and one can only wonder at the time and careful work involved in making so many beautiful slides. It is undoubtedly the largest and finest col- lection of raduhe in the world. While at Cambridge, I also had the good fortune to meet Mr. A. H. Cook, of Kings College, who kindly showed me the "MacAndrews Collection." This is a collection that one could spend hours over, instead of the few minutes hastily spent in glancing at some of the important groups. The large suites showing the shell in all stages of development is a very noticeable feature, and shows what a good selection was made of the large amount of material evidently obtained by MacAndrew in his exten- sive dredgiugs. Anotlier collection which the museum at Cambridge has recently obtained is the "Saul Collection," made by Miss Saul, of London. The collection is noted for its beautiful Cyprreas. Here we see all of those mentioned as being in the British Museum,
56 THE NAUTILUS.
except Oyprcea leueodom ; while it contains such rarities as Cyprcea barclm/i, C. zanlce, two specimens of C. ynttatn, large suites of C. ficottli, C. thersites, C. umbl./icata and very large and handsome series of the more coramon species. Both collections are still in cabinets of drawers and not publicly exhibited.
The collection of shells on exhibition in the Liverpool, or Derby Museum, as it is called, although not large, is exceptionally fine, and represents a great deal of care in its selection. A few species or genera of fossil forms closely allied to living inollusks are incorpora- ted with the latter. Very interesting features of the museum are its aquaria, where both fresh water and marine inollusks may be seen alive. Through the kindness of Mr. Joseph A. Clubb, Assistant Curator, I spent several very pleasant hours in going over these col- lections.
CHAS. W. JOHNSON.
ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT
[Conducted in the interest of the Isaac Lea Couchological Chapter of the Agassiz Associa- tion by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.]
The summer vacation is finding a number of our members engaged in collecting and taking notes. We anticipate some (ine reports next December.
The residence of Mrs. Laura N. Trowhridge has been changed from Wliittier, California, to National City, San Diego County, Cal.
MARINE SHELLS ON THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST.
[Extract from the report of Mrs. E. D. G. Campbell. From the Transactions of the Isaac Cea Conchological Chapter for 1895.]
My collecting has been done in San Pedro Bay and vicinity. Mr. Campbell hunting where I had not strength to go.
During January and February at Dead Man's Island have found a few fine specimens of Astralium (Poin<nil<t.c) iii><l<>*ii* Wood and I'trroixitnx ffxtlrii* lids.
Upon the breakwater connecting Dead Man's Island with Termi- nal Island, .[ennui wilim Xutt., A. */»-rtriitii Xutt., Littorinaplanaxis Xutt. and /,. .iniliiliitii Gld. were very plentiful. At extreme low tide in the drift, on the sandy beach along the northern part of the
THE NAUTILUS. 57
breakwater, I found numerous bright, perfect (dead) specimens of Callioatoma gemmulutum Cpr., Modiola recta Conr., Scala hindsii Cpr., Siliqua patula Dixon (small specimens), Solen rosaceus Cpr. and Fissurella volcano Rve., while the occasional finding of a pretty Calliostoma gloriosum Ball, Erato vitellina Hds., Mitromorpha filotsa Cpr. or Actceon (Rictaxis*) punctoccclatw has marked the day.
During the low tides of the last month (November), alive upon the rocks at White's Point we found a few fine specimens of Mitra iniiiirii Swains., and Gndinia reticulata Sby. The under side of some of the large stones there were covered with AstijrU gaitsapata Gld. var. earinata, which little animals would move off at such rapid pace that it required lively movements to capture them. With the Astyris were a few Scala Hindsii.
In the vicinity of Laguua near Three Arches, among Mytilus cali- fo minus Conr., Purpiirn limn Mart. var. emarginata Desh. were very plentiful, some of them larger than I had seen before. There was also one nice living Cyprcea spadicea Gray. Upon the bench sand were several bright, large specimens of Trivia solandri Gray. These were dead, as were all but one of Murindea inrixa Bmd.. which were quite plentiful. Macron. Uvidu* A. Ad. was there, too, living upon the under side of large stones.
At Cataliua on the Main, upon the beach, were several specimens of Chryxodomus (Kelleltia) Kelletti Fbs., which had been brought in by fishermen. But the " find " which I appreciated most was that of a " baker's dozen " of living Semele rupimn Sby., upon the rocks above extreme low tide, at a place about one mile and a half we>t of Laguna.
NOTES ON THE PARVUS GROUP OF UNIONIDJE AND ITS ALLIES.
BY CHAS. T. SIMPSON.
Mr. R. Ellsworth Call, so well known as an able student of the American Unionidce, has recently published a revision and synon- omy of the Parvu* group of Unionidx,1 and I wish to call attention to certain points in the paper.
The Pnrt'iis group is, in general, well characterized, consisting of small Unios, with brownish to blackish epidermis, rayless or f'eebly-
'Proc. Indiana Acad. Science for 1895, pp. 109-119, plates I-VI.
58 THE NAUTILUS.
rayed po.-tei -iorly, usually somewhat pointed behind, the females dis- tiugui>hed from the males by a well-developed basal swelling, and the beak sculpture consisting of parallel, curved ridges, which are drawn in towards the hinge-line posteriorly, and are more open anteriorly. The cardinals are usually compressed, often torn and reflected upwards, and the nacre is generally brilliant bluish-silvery, becoming richly iridescent behind, but it is sometimes purple. The peculiar beak sculpture, much like that of the Tetralasmus group, is one of the best characters when not eroded away.
Mr. Call is right in his criticism on my paper on the UnioniclcBof Florida, in which I placed Unio trogxii'iix Lea and U. /</</'<///.• Gould in the Parvus group. At the time of writing that paper I hud carefully examined all of Lea's material, all the general collec- tion of the National Museum, much of B. H. Wright's, Mrs. George Andrews', AY in. A. Marsh's, Rev. A. Dean's and my own collection of Florida and Georgia Unios of this general type, but bad not found a specimen old or young that showed the beak sculpture. Recently, in examining some specimens of U. amii//ilalniit in Mr. A. G. Wetherby's collection, from Clear Lake, Florida, I noticed that the lieak sculpture was perfect, and consisted of a double loop, hence they cannot be placed in the Parrii* group. I may remark, in passing, that having seen Gould's type of U. lepidus, I should un- hesitatingly pronounce it the same as Lea's amygda/mn.
Unfortunately, Mr. Barnes' description of Unio pur run' is very brief and imperfect, and the only figure he gave of it is an outline. Much eonfu.-ion exists concerning this species, and it is often con- founded with Unin texasensis; in fact, Mr. Lea himself has placed a lot of specimens of the latter species from northern localities among tin' parvus iu his own collection. Unin texasensis certainly extends into southern Indiana and Illinois, and well north into Missouri and Kansas. In general, U. JHUTIIX is smaller than U. texasensis, is more inflated and cylindrical, rather more elongated, and has a much more evenly rounded posterior region. The latter is almost al\\a\> ili-tinctly pointed behind.
I cannot asirec with all of Mr. Call's synonomy. I have all of Lea's tvpe> of this and related groups before me. I'. ni<ir</iinis Lea, and I'. r,-iun«'i t/i Lea. are probably the same, and arc, no doubt, nn-mhers of the I'HITUX group, but are widely different from U. par- i'u>s, in which he places the former, as they are shorter, less inflated,
= Am. .11. Science ami Arts. VI. 1823, }*. 17-1. pi. XIII, lig. 1*.
THE NAUTILUS. 59
and have a copper-tinted nacre. U. paiili/s Lea and N. corvimis Lea are very likely the same specie?, but I should not place them in the synonomy of U. parvus as Mr. Call does.
U. visicularis Lea, of which I have before me the two original specimens on which the species was founded, is certainly not U. parvus. Both these specimens are dead shells, very badly eroded and in poor condition, but they are nearer to U. amygdalum than any of the Parvus group, and probably are merely a somewhat heavy, light-brown variety of tbat species. Uxio viitgleycmua is a smooth, shining, yellowish or waxy-brown shell, sometimes tinted and rayed with green, and very different from U. parvus. And U. minor seems to me to be more nearly related to U. wsiciilarig than to U. parrns, under which Mr. C'all places it.
r/uo haleianus Lea is not noticed in this revision of the Far- ms group, although it should undoubtedly be placed with that assemblage. It is the largest of the species, one of Lea's specimens before me being 2} inches long by 1 \ high, and is nearest to U. te.cu.i-
.ii.t, but is a less heavy species.
NOTES AND NEWS.
MEXICAN LAND SHELLS. — Professor T. D. A. Cockerel! has sent to me a few land shells collected at San Rafael, Jicaltepec, Vera Cruz, by Professor C. H. T. Towusend. The species are:
Helitina ftavida Mke. Wonderfully variable in color. Some are uniform yellow with red apex ; others uniform reddish ; others whitish with the spire red, or whitish below, red above, while some specimens are girt with a reddish band above the periphery, on a whitish ground. The size also varies considerably.
Glandinaf A species of the decu&satug group, not adult.
Volutaxls giinilaris Strebel. Somewhat larger than the type, alt. 7 mm.
Praticolella griseottt Pfr.
Praticolella ampla Pfr. This Helix looks a good deal like simi- lar is Fer.
Bulimulus sulphureus Pfr. Besides the ordinary uuicolored form, there is one example with five reddish bands, the umbilical and basal continuous, those above interrupted into squarish spots at irregular intervals. This color form has not before been noticed. — H. A. P.
60 THE NAUTILUS.
MARYLAND SHELLS. — In the NAUTILUS, Vol. X, p. 23, you men- tion some shells not before recorded from Maryland, Inter aim, H. intertexta Binn. I find, however, this is recorded from that State by Binney in his Terr. Moll. U. S., II, p. 207.— G. K. Gude.
MESSRS SIMPSON AND WALKER have been making a vacation journey in North Carolina and Georgia. They report the rivers too high for successful clamming.
MR. E. G. VANATTA is spending the summer at Chestertown, Md.
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
MR. G. K. GUDE describes a new Corasia from Luzon, C, in Science Gossip for August. It is a pale-blue shell, another of the beautiful H. rer/ince group. The following Philippine and Marianne Island Helices are figured : Ganesella catocyrta, G. <ijn:r with var. Endodonta quadrasi, C/iin-/>/>n fiixca and Troekomorpha Mlldff. it Quadras; also Pyramiduta omaliama " Bgt." Fagot, from near Barcelona, Spain. These species have not hitherto I ice ii figured.
I. A REVISION AND SYNONYMY or THE FARVUS GROUP OF UNIONIDJE. II. SECOND CONTRIBUTION TO A KNOWLEDGE OF INDIANA MOLLUSCA. III. INDIANA UNIV. BIOL. STA. REPORT ON MOLLUSCA (From Proc. Indiana Acad. Science for 1895). By R. Ellsworth Call. In the I'nio /mrcttg group, Professor Call recog- nizes four species: U. purvus, U. texasensis, U.glaii*, U. amygdalum. Alleged synonyms of U. parvus are: U. paulus, minor, margin is, foi-riiniK, I't'sk-ii/in-ix of Lea and U. sing ley anus Marsh. From this extraordinary synonymy it will be seen that our author belongs to the extreme "lumper" class. Some other points in the paper are equally ill-taken, but it is not worth while to criticise in detail where nearly everything is wrong. Six plates of characteristic, though rather crude figures, illustrate the forms.
The second and third papers continue Prof. Call's very praise- worthy efforts to record the distribution and variations of Indiana Mollusk-, ami do not admit of abstract here ; but those interested in i lie ilc'iailcd mapping of the areas of our species will be grateful for Call's good work in this field, as well as for the similar service he ilid in cataloguing Kansas shells.
THE NAUTILUS.
VOL. X. OCTOBER, 1896. No. 6
SOME NOTES ON THE COLLECTION OF SHELLS IN THE MUSEUMS OF PARIS, BERLIN AND AMSTERDAM.
BY C. \V. JOHNSON.
The collection of shells in the Museum of Zoology, Jardin des Plantes, Paris, is one often referred to as being the only collection in which you can see the recent and fossil species side by side. One, therefore, naturally imagines what such a collection should be, and, as usual under such circumstances, one is somewhat disappointed. The collection is distributed as follows: Around the entire outer portion or railing of the first gallery, in a case about two feet in width, are arranged the Pelecypoda, while on the second gallery around the entire wall, in a wide, slanting case or shelf (with corals above and a series of eight drawers beneath) are arranged the Gas- tropoda. This necessarily scatters the collection to a great extent, and makes it very inconvenient. A collection of the recent and fossil species arranged together is very interesting and instructive, but it should be a special collection of such forms as can be readily traced back through geological time, and which anyone would con- sider to be the prototypes of the recent species; in other words, the primary object of such a collection should be to show the evolution of species and genera. The study of recent and fossil mollusca is now divided into well-defined specialties ; no one person can cover with success more than a few closely related groups, faunae or formations; so it seems to us that a large collection should be ar- ranged accordingly. The paleontologist must be a geologist, also ;
62 THE NAUTILUS.
he cannot ignore stratigraphy ; therefore, the collection most con- venient to him is one arranged geologically ; again, he is making a special study of the tertiary mollusca, and has, for instance, a collection of Paris Basin fossils, he would not want to travel two or three hundred linear feet, on two or three different gal- leries to determine his material. Neither would the collector of recent shells want to delve among the overwhelming mass of fossils to name his collection. I think that we can therefore lay aside this plan (which is advocated by many) as being entirely inconsistent with our present system of investigation. The specimens in the Museum are mounted on tablets, the recent on white and the fossil on yellow, the label being pasted on the lower edge of the tablet.
The collection of mollusca in the Museum of Natural History of Berlin, presents many features of interest. It occupies one-half of a large room, that is divided into small alcoves by tall, upright cases. All of the alcoves open into a passage-way along the side of the room, leaving three sides for the display of specimens. Each alcove is about 20 x 30 feet, and in the center of each is a long hori- zontal case, with drawers beneath, containing an exhibit of the land and fresh water shells of Germany, and the mollusca of the North and Mediterranean Seas. The latter are arranged longitudinally in a series, the one above the other. The conditions of the two seas being so different, the two collections form a very interesting com- parison. The general collection is arranged in the upright cases in cardboard trays, above which the printed label is held by a small card holder. In the upper part of the cases are a series of enlarged drawings of the animals, radulre, jaws, darts, etc. On top of the cases is a light iron framework, on which are hung excellent charts of the "Weichthiere/'showing the anatomical features of the lendinggroups. Throughout the entire museum great emphasis is placed on geo- graphical distribution. At the entrance to the rooms is a large chart of the world, each faunal region having a different color. Under each chart is a series of the labels used in the museum, the labels having a wide colored border to indicate the different faunre. Small charts are also placed among the specimens, the areas inhabited by certain species being colored.
In the Zoological Garden at Amsterdam, are two museums of natural history. The one devoted to the fauna of the Netherlands contains a very good collection of the shells of Holland. The other occupies the second floor of a long building, extending each side
THE NAUTILUS. 63
from a central hall. Around the walls of these two rooms are ar- ranged the birds and mammals, while in the center in two longi- tudinal rows of table cases is a splendid collection of shells, a collec- tion that any museum should be proud of. One can get an idea of the space occupied by the following figures : Each case was about 2 } x 4 feet, and of these there were 144. In hastily going over this collection, certain families and genera were represented by magnifi- cent specimens, and seemed almost complete, the most noticeable being the Pectinidw, Veneridie, Cardiidre, Crassatellidre,etc. Among the Volutidre and C'ouidie were many of the rarer species, while the Cypraea were graced by the presence of C. princeps and C. guttata. Very interesting in showing color variation was the very large suite of Nanina eitrina. But my time was too limited to do justice to these grand collections, and, at the time of my visit, the curators were either on vacation or absent for the day. Our readers will therefore please pardon the incompleteness of these brief descrip- tions.
INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENT UPON THE FORM AND COLOR OF HELIX ALTERNATA.
BY C. C. ORMSBEE, MONTPELIER, VT.
The Helix alternata is one of the most abundant of the larger forms of New England land shells, and, in its distribution, it extends over nearly the whole of the United States. Yet, owing to its hab- its, it is not as familiar as many of the more rare species. It is sel- dom, if ever, seen crawling upon the ground, after the fashion of other so-called snails, but nearly, or quite, always found snugly hidden in some old log or stump, or piece of rotten wood, which, by the way, forms its food.
It is extremely nocturnal in its habits, feeding during the night and never stirring during the day time, unless disturbed, in which case it will crawl to the nearest place of concealment and resume its slumbers. It never ventures from its home except during the breed- ing season, and hence, when one is found, others may generally be found near by. In color the H. alternata is one of the most beautiful shells, being striped by alternate bands of light and dark of different shades, from which fact the common name of "tiger- snail " has been given to it.
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Its favorite location is between the bark and wood of a decaying log or stump, and it always selects a cool, shady and rather moist spot. It prefers maple, elm or ash. I have never found it in con- nection with any of the resinous varieties of wood.
Now, different kinds of wood in decaying, form products of vary- ing shades nf color. Thus decayed maple is almost black ; elm is dark brown ; ash is light brown ; beech is still lighter, and birch has a reddish tinge. It is no less true that the shells of the H. alternata differ in shade and resemble that of the wood in which they are found, and which forms a part of their food. Thus those found in maple are almost black ; those in elm are dark brown ; those in ash are light brown ; those in beech are still lighter, and those in birch have a reddish tinge. I have shells in my collection extending through almost every gradation of color, from black to ashy-white. In some the black stripes predominate and almost obliterate the white ones. In others the black stripes are almost wholly wanting, and in a few they are replaced by reddish colored stripes, indicating in every case the nature of the hiding-place of each individual.
Again, the bark of decaying trees clings much more tightly under some conditions than under others, and this has a marked effect upon the upper surface of the shell. I have one shell which is al- most as convex as the H. albolabri?. I recollect that it was found in a cavity where its upper surface could never be touched. Another was found in a narrow crevice, where it had barely room to squeeze itself, and its upper surface is perfectly flat, and it might well be taken for a subspecies. Between these extremes every variation of angle may be found, all seeming to result from a greater or less de- gree of pressure. Or, rather, having been governed by the height of the crevice in which they developed.
Theoretically, the supposition may have one or two slight objec- tions which it is not necessary to mention, but it is based upon several hundred observations, and I believe it to be correct.
TWO NEW PISIDIA.
BY DR. V. STERKI.
Pisidium pauperculum n. sp.
Mussel of moderate size, rather oblique, moderately to rather strongly inflated ; beaks slightly posterior, moderately large and prominent, rounded ; scutum and scutelliun slightly marked ; edges
THE NAUTILUS. 65
acute or acutish, not pinched ; superior and inferior margins mod- erately curved, posterior well rounded or slightly truncated, joining the inferior without any marked angle; antero-superior margin sloping, oblique, slightly curved, meeting the inferior at an angle situated rather inferior, more distant in the adult than in younger examples ; surface very finely striated, polished ; color pale or yel- lowish to greenish-horn, sometimes whitish or straw in old speci- mens ; shell thin, translucent ; hinge moderately strong ; cardinal teeth of the right valve moderately curved, its posterior end thick- ened, those of the left valve lamellar, almost equal, the superior rather short, slightly oblique and little curved ; lateral teeth rather strong ; ligament short, thin.
Long. 3'2, alt. 2'7 ; diam. 1'9 mill., in the average.
It has a wide geographical distribution, and is one of the most common Pisidia, having been seen from Massachusetts : Winchester (E. W. Roper) ; New York : Mohawk, Herkimer County, Erie Canal (E. W. Roper, A. Bailey, Dr. Jas. Lewis) ; Hudson River (R. E. C. Stearns) ; Pennsylvania : Philadelphia, in different waters (M. Schick) ; New Jersey : White Pond, dredged (Pilsbry and Rhoads) ; Michigan : Ann Arbor, High Island Harbor in Lake Michigan ; East Sagiuaw, Pine Lake, dredged (Br. Walker) ; Grand Rapids (L. H. Streng) ; Wisconsin : Fox River (Geo. T. Marston) ; Minnesota: Clearwater and Mississippi Rivers, Heath Lake (H. E. Sargent) ; fossil, at White Pond, N. J. (Pilsbry and Rhoads).
Our species is one of modest appearance, and yet somewhat unique. Being so common, it has evidently been overlooked, or taken for younger specimens of some others, owing to its want of striking features ; hence the name given to it. Almost always the mussel is more or less coated with a blackish or rusty substance in a rather characteristic way, especially over the beaks and upper part, even when found in company with other Pisidia not thus coated, so that this is a feature of the species, usually independent of the habitat. Yet sometimes all specimens in a place are found clean, e. g., those (dredged) from White Pond, New Jersey. Dead shells are of a rather characteristic plumbeous-gray color.
The species is variable, though being more constant in each place. There are marked differences in size and shape, prominence of the beaks and color. Especially notable is a form from Michigan, with less curved superior and inferior margins, the posterior end more abrupt, obliquely, so that the outline of the mussel resembles an ob-
66 THE NAUTILUS.
lique parallelogram ; others, from Michigan and Minnesota, are very high, the altitude equalling or even exceeding the length. Some of these local forms may prove to be true varieties.
This Pisidium has caused considerable trouble, correspondence and controversy for a long time. Almost two years ago it was recognized as a well-defined species, and given its present name. Then Mr. E. W. Roper obtained a type specimen of Pi*, ferrugi- neum Prime, from the Museum of the Boston Society of Natural History, which he kindly sent me for comparison, and we were both satisfied at once that it was identical with the present species. Several examples, of T. Prime's own hand, also named P. ferrugi- neum, from " New York," in my collection, probably none of them mature, are of the same species. After this, the present name was suppressed, although it was evident that all these Pisidia were very far from being congruent, as to size and shape, with the author's de- scription and figures of Pis. ferrugineum, in Mou. Pis. and Mon. Corbiculadae. Among the thousands of specimens seen from New England and New York, none could be referred to these descrip- tions, and so necessarily the question arose : What, and where, is the true P. ferrugineum of Prime1 Last winter, Mr. Roper received sev- eral lots of Pisidia from Cambridge and Waltham, Mass., and from Maine, and obliged me by forwarding them for examination. Among them there was undoubtedly the long sought for Pis. ferru- gineum, in every particular conforming with the author's description as well as the figures in Mon. Pis. (PI. XII, figs. 8, 9, 10). Now we knew also that Pis. paupercHluin was distinct and deserving a name of its own. The mixing up of the two species by Prime, is ex- plained by the fact that both of them are usually covered with a dark or blackish " ferruginous " substance, in the same way, giving them the same outward appearance, the more so as in some forms or specimens of Pis. paupercuhim the beaks are rather high and promi- nent, though rounded, and not " tubercular," without ridges (Conf. the figures cited above). Under the impression that they were iden- tical, the author could say that P. ferrugineum was one of our most common species, while properly restricted, it seems to be rather rare.
Pisidium aoutellatum n. sp.
Mussel of medium size, rather high, oblique, markedly protracted downward in its anterior part, well rounded, rather strongly in-
1 The author himself could not be consulted, since he had given up, long ago, the study of these mussels.
THE NAUTILUS. 67
flated ; beaks much posterior, rather large, prominent rounded ; superior margin short, little curved, or almost straight, scutum and scutellum well marked, forming projecting angles ; the other mar- gins well curved, or the posterior very slightly truncated, anterior end well rounded, or with a slight indication of an angle ; surface polished, with irregular striae and some coarse lines of growth ; shell thin, transparent, of a yellowish-horn to amber color, often grayish or brownish-horn in old specimens, and whitish on the beaks ; nacre glassy, inner surface microscopically rugulose ; hinge fine, short, cardinal teeth lamellar, the one in the right valve moderately curved, its posterior end thicker; the inferior in the left valve curved, the superior little so or almost straight; lateral teeth very short, very abrupt, pointed, thin, little projecting into the cavity of the mussel ; ligament small.
Long. 4-0, alt. 3'6, diam. 2-8 mill.
Long. 3'3, alt. 2'8, diam. 2'4 mill, or less (deep water form).
The center of its distribution is in the region of the Great Lakes, where it seems to be common, especially northward, in the great and small lakes and rivers. It has been dredged from deep water in different places: Pine Lake, 5-11 meters; Lake Michigan, off New York Point, 24 meters ; also taken from the stomachs of white fish of Lake Michigan. These deep water forms, almost all •dead shells, were first seen among materials sent by Mr. Bryant Walker, in 1894. Later, fresh specimens in lots from different places in Michigan were sent by Mr. Bryant Walker, L. H. Streng and Geo. T. Marston ; from different waters of the Mississippi drain- age, in Minnesota, by Mr. H. E. Sargent. A few specimens, in two identical lots, in Br. Walker's and Roper's collections, from Shen- don, Montana, at an elevation of 9000 feet, have much resemblance with our species, yet differ in some points, and it will take more materials to ascertain whether they are identical or not.
This is one of our most characteristic Pisidia, distinguished, beside its surface features, color and the configuration of the hinge, by its oblique shape and the much larger anterior part. This character it has in common with Pis. virgin iettm Gmel. and walkeri ; the former of these is out of the question; the latter species is much more elon- gatedi its beaks are much smaller, the outline is more angular, and the surface dull, from microscopic lamellae, but even.
Pis. scutellatum is somewhat variable: the largest specimens seen, from Orchard Lake, Mich., are 4'5 mill. long. Those from deep
68 THE NAUTILUS.
water are the smallest and most inflated, and their beaks are com- monly more prominent ; some of them have crowded striae of growth. New Philadelphia, O., Sept., 1896.
ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT.
[Conducted ID the interest of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the Agassiz Associa- tion by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.]
NOTES ON SOME SHELLS OF PTJGET SOUND.
[Extract frem the report of Mrs. M. Drake. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter for 1895.]
In January, I went out to Gig Harbor, but the tides were not good and I got few shells. About seventy Pterorhytis foliatux were found at Point Richmond, some of them quite large with rich brown- bands. We find this shell at quite low tide, clinging to the rocks in much the same way as Piirpura crixpata, and its operculum is very much like that of the Piirpura, only it is of a deeper brown and stronger. A horn is on each one of its three wing-like varices. As it grows in strong currents, its shell is heavy and not easily broken.
I also collected (dredged) some young Peden hastcdus which are plain in color, and without the lovely spines of the adult. We found them attached to kelp. The young are attached to kelp by their byssus, while the larger ones are free swimming, and can move quite rapidly through the water. We take most of them in several feet of water, with a dip-net, at low tide.
We find four species of Saxidomus, they are Scuridomus nitttnl/i, 8. sqiialidtts, S. aratus and 8. brevisiphonana. As the last name indicates, that species has short siphons, and it is more rounded, shorter and has a stronger shell. I found two species of (.'artlimn at Brown's Point, one being in somewhat deeper water than the other, with a rougher, heavier and plainer shell. The animal is also different. By the way, how can conchologists be sure of the differ- ences and resemblances of closely allied shells without studying the living animals?' I am sure I could not have seen so much beauty
1 Here is where we amateurs may add to the general knowledge by studying the animal in its habitat while it is vet alive. — M. U. \V.
THE NAUTILUS. 69
in shells had I not studied the animals in them and learned of their friends and their enemies, their food and manner of reproduction. I have also learned that when we find certain species we may expect to find there certain other species, either because both like the same conditions of life, or one may prey upon another.
Lepeta concentrica was one of my new finds in April. It was dredged from 100 feet of water and was clinging to stones, to which Waldheimia pulvinata and the eggs and young of Placunanomia macrosclnsma were also attached. Placunanomia macroschisma grows to a large size here, four inches across, and of a lovely green tint inside. The animal is a bright orange in color, and is good eating.
During March and April we collected several thousand of the finest Purpura crispata I have ever seen — pure white, orange, brown, striped and banded, smooth and foliated, huge and infantile, one can hardly tell how variously beautiful they are. I have given two entire drawers in my cabinet to them. I have one in color exactly like a violet snail.
During May we found several live Acmcea mitra, whose " white caps " had a most decided green color. They are larger than the southern ones. I got five shells, which were new to me, from Lemon's Beach, on the Narrows — Eulima rutila, a shell of rare beauty both in form and color, being pure white at the apex and bright rosy pink at the base; Eulima fa/cata, pure white and larger than E. rutila; Axinea intermedia, larger than described in west coast shells; one Lucina, unknown at Washington, and some fine Semele rubroradiatu which live in the little sandy pit-holes of a hard cement reef which is bare at low tide. Here, too, we found many live Psitmmobia rubroradiata . Both kinds of these red-rayed clams, especially the latter, told us where they lived by spouting up small streams of water at intervals.
In company with a friend I went to Fort Defiance where we found Acmcea digitalis living in the crack of a granite rock. We found Oryptoehiton stelleri and an unknown Chiton, whose shell is salmon- colored on the inside. Cryptochiton is very abundant here at certain times, when they come ashore to breed. We have collected several hundred of them at a place, and a month later not one was to be seen. Our largest was thirteen inches long. Most of them are brown, but some are almost white. We found them on rocks and flat on the pebbly beach at extreme low tide. We found them
70 THE NAUTILUS.
quite hard to clean properly. The Indians are fond of the sole- like strip which protects the insides, and are fond of the eggs which are very numerous. These animals look so much like the rocks on which they cling, that few of the frequenters of the beach knew the animal when we showed it to them.
NOTES AND NEWS.
GREEN-HOUSE SHELLS. — This spring I found some Zonites ylaber Stud, in one of the green-houses of this city. It was identified for me by Dr. W. H. Ball. Arion hortensw Fer. was found at the same place and identified by Mr. H. A. Pilsbry. Zonites lucidus Brap is found in all the green-houses of the city.
P. B. RANDOLPH, Seattle, Washington.
NOTE ON LEDA CAELATA HINDS. — This species was described by Hinds in the Geology of the Voyage of the Sulphur, p. 64, pi. 18, fig. 13, 1844, and Proc. Zool. Soc. London for 1843, p. 99. But Conrad had already described a fine species of Leda from the Clai- borne sands under this specific name, in the Am. Jour. Sci., Vol. XXIII, p. 343, Jan., 1833. This, in Becember of the same year, was renamed brogniarti by Lea, Contr. to Geology, p. 82, pi. 3, fig. (51. Consequently the species of Hinds requires a new specific name. As there is already a L. hindsii of Hanley, I propose to substitute for coelata the specific name of taphria, while Leda broy- iiinrti Lea must retain the prior name of Conrad. — W. H. BALL.
CALLISTA VAEIANS HANLEY, IN EASTERN FLORIDA. — Mr. J. J. White, of Rockledge, Fla., reports the finding of numerous speci- mens of this species in Lake Worth, on mud flats near the Inlet. This seems to be the first finding of this West Indian species in Florida.
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
BlAGNOSES OF NEW MOLLUSKS FROM THE SURVEY OF THE MEXI- CAN BOUNDARY, by W. H. Ball (Proc. U. S. N. Mus., xviii, pp. 1-6). Patula strigosa var. concentrata, New Mexico ; a small race, further
southward than any other reported. Epiphragmophora arizoneusis, near Tucson, Arizona. Epiphragmophora hatcliitana, Hachita Grande Mt. Epiphragmophora arnheimi, California.
THE NAUTILUS. 71
Polygyra chiricahuana, Arizona. Polygyra rneamsii, New Mexico. Holospira crossei, pilsbryi, bilamellata, mearnsii, veracruziana, all
from New Mexico and Mexico. Unio mitchelli Simpson, a Texan species collected by Hon. J. D.
Mitchell. Cerion pineria, Isle of Piues (S. of Cuba).
LIST OF DUPLICATES OF JAPANESE SHELLS COLLECTED BY FREDERICK STEARNS (Detroit, 1896). A list for purposes of ex- change, which may be obtained on application by those having shells, echinoderns, corals, etc., to offer for Japanese shells.
DIAGNOSES OF NEW TERTIARY FOSSILS FROM THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES. By W. H. Dall (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVIII, pp. 21-46, 1895). This paper deals mainly with new or misunder- stood species of Bulloid Tectibranchs, of Terebra and of Conus. A new section of Bullina, Abderospira, is proposed for a new Chipola species ; and Wakullinn is a new subgenus of Cantraiue's genus Carolia. A general discussion of the Terebridte of our tertiaries precedes the descriptions of new forms. The preliminary remarks under Conus have a vastly wider application than to the particular genus under discussion, and cut at the root of a false method in much paleontologic work of both hemispheres. We refer more especially to this paragraph. The italics are our own : " The gen, eral rule that local faunae are derived from pre-existing faunce of the same general region is a good guide, and a careful comparison of the fossils with the recent types will often assist materially in determin- ing the relations of fossil forms. The identifications which travel to distant fatince for representatives — as, for instance, the Indo-Pacific fauna for Haitian fossils — are usually wrong, and all Gabb's identi- fications of this sort will be modified by further and more careful study. Analogous characteristics are often purely dynamic informs of different lineage, subjected to similar conditions, in widely separated localities. Where modern fauna differ in the races of any genus which they contain, the antecedent fossils in the same regions are not likely to be much more nearly related." We have, for some years, been endeavoring to persuade our German friends of the truth of this general doctrine as applied to their tertiary land snails, but without much success thus far ; so that it is peculiarly refreshing to find an acknowledged master stating the result of his broad experi- ence in other groups, in diction so unequivocal as the above extract.
72 THE NAUTILUS.
OBITUARY— B. SCHMACKEE.1
A letter just received from Shanghai, China, announces the death of B. SCHMACKER, ESQ., of that city, in Yokohama.
Mr. Schruacker was a most enthusiastic conchologist. It was his aim and purpose to close up all his business affairs next winter and devote the balance of his life to his shells. During his long resi- dence in the far East he had collected extensively in China, Japan, and the islands of the coast, and had, at the time of his death, prob- ably the finest private collection of oriental laud and fresh-water shells in the world.
From time to time, as his business engagements permitted, he published papers upon various conchological topics. I can now only recall certain pamphlets upon Formosa shells, Chinese Clau- siliae, Chinese Helices, and, I believe, a paper upoii the Molluscan fauna of the island Hainan.
Much of his literary work was done in connection with Boettger and von Mollendorff. He told me a year ago that it was his purpose to write a comprehensive work upon Chinese land and fresh-water shells, and that it was to that end that he had made such extensive collections in China and the neighboring islands. I doubt if any- one could have been better qualified for this undertaking.
Personally, Mr. Schmacker was a most charming man. He was kindness itself, and his greatest happiness seemed to be to give others pleasure. He had a keen sense of humor, and was a most agreeable conversationalist. Unfortunately, he was somewhat deaf; but I be- lieve it was only the disagreeable things he could not hear.
He was manager of the great German trading firm of Carlowitz & Co., of Shanghai, and was a man of some wealth.
His death will be mourned by a host of friends in Asia and Eu- rope, and his loss will be felt by the brotherhood of conchologists all over the world.
JOHN B. HENDERSON, JR.
Bar Harbor, Me., Sept. 17, 1896.
1 We take the liberty of publishing the above letter from Mr. John B. Hen- derson, Jr., bringing us the sad news of the death of one of the most capable of Oriental conchologists. During a short visit to Philadelphia some years ago, Mr. Schmacker became known to us ; but it is not alone as an excellent conchologist, but as a man of rare and attractive personal qualities that we have valued his friendship and regret his untimely death.
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Vol.. X. NOVEMBER, 1896. No. 7
CASCO BAY.
BY REV. HENRY W. WINKLEY.
The two most famous collecting grounds on the coast of Maine are Eastport and Casco Bay. The writer having spent several sum- mers at Eastport, devoted his energies this year to Casco Bay. From the city of Portland to Cape Small the distance is perhaps thirteen miles. From the mainland to the outer islands is some six miles. This area is said to contain 365 islands. A fortunate location was secured on one of the outer islands, in a central position as regards the longer axis of the Bay. The naturalists of the expedition were the writer and his two enthusiastic and constant companions PVauk H. and Robert L. Wiukley aged 10 and 73 respectively. The shores are for the most part rocky, affording occasional tide pools rich in animal life. The bottom is of every variety, giving opportunity for any taste the mollusca may display. Land sheila abound on the outer islands. Singularly they find a favorite home here while on the main land they are exceedingly scarce. We visited, for land shells, Eagle, Brown Cow, Jewells, inner and outer Green and Cliff Islands ; on all but outer Green we obtained good results. The most curious of this group is the famous Brown Cow. In the midst of rough ledges,— an out post fronting the open sea, — this mere spot, rises with perpendicular cliffs to a height of at least fifteen feet. The ap- proach must be made in calm weather, and at low tide. We had a half hour's visit and such a harvest ! The top of the island is one half covered with grass, the other half is a clump of bushes. Helix hor-
74 THE NAUTILUS.
tensis covered the leaves and branches of these bushes, the varieties being the yellow and five banded. Oil the ground Pyramidula alternata, Polygyra albolabris and Sncdnea obliqua were abundant. We obtained the famous wine colored variety of P. a/bolnbrif, and among the specimens discovered a set handed with fine lines, like P. multilineata. Time was precious and we collected expedi- iously as the tide was coming in. We escaped from the island with a slight ducking from the surf, but happy are the results. On Green island a few specimens of H. liortrnxi* were found, among them two full grown forms, which had for some reason started to grow again ; extending from the finished lip was a continuation of the outer whorl, but of a dirty cream color and rough with ridges. On one of the islands Frank discovered the home of the albino P. <ilteriiiitn, a valuable prize. Shore collecting gave us a beautiful series of the various varieties of Pii.rpura lapillus, and some of the specimens were the largest we have seen. We also found Bucrlit inn, Skeneaplanorbis, Turtoiiia minuta, Rissoa aculeus, Lacmni rlin-in, and the common shore varieties. Considerable time was given to dredging in depths from seven to twenty-five fathoms. One summer is far too short to exhaust this region, but many localities were dredged with good results. A dozen to fifteen new forms were added to the cabinet, and at least fifty duplicate sets, to represent the Bay, found places in the collection. Five species of chitons were found, including Ainiciiln Emersonii; a few fine specimens of Peeten magellanicus were dredged, among them one that had received an injury and in repairing had turned the edges of both valves upward so that they grew at right angles to the natural plane. The interesting genus Bela revealed a half dozen or more species, harpularin being the most abundant. Brachiopods were found occasionally, and sponges, shrimp, echino- derms and other invertebrates were abundant, but with much regret at not having the means to care for them they were returned to the sea. A list of results would contain all of the common forms. The more rare species included the genera Thracia, Astarte, Nncula, Modiolaria, Crenella, Cylichna, Margarita, Odostomia, Lunatia, Velutina, Astyris and others.
Since the above article was written I have read with much interest the article on " Helix alternata" by Mr. Ormsby. I do not wish to take anything from his statements, but to add one or two concerning that species. The islands of Casco Bay are good to stand a man on his head, figuratively if not literally, for he meets with circumstances
THE NAUTILUS. 75
which upset his former ideas. Land shells are very scarce in the state of Maine, at least in the parts I have visited. As a rule two or three specimens of the larger species, would he all one would find after a careful search, not so, however, on the small islands. Pyra- midula alternata occurs in great profusion. Poli/gyrn nlbolabris and Helix horteiisis are also abundant. P. alternuta occurs on one island, some distance from any trees, just above high water mark, its only shelter being rocks and small raspberry bushes. In this location some two hundred, including the albino, were found. On another island it occurs in the woods but crawling on the ground, so numer- ous is it, that one can hardly step without crushing the shells. Fur- thermore it was found feeding on animal matter, dead crabs and shells left by the crows were covered with hungry individuals.
THE SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF SPHYRADIUM ("PUPA") EDENTULUM Drap.
BY DR. V. STERK1.
For some time, it has been my opinion that this species (= Vertigo simplex Gld.) has nut its proper place under Pupa. The shell, though Pupa-like in its general aspect, shows two marked differences from all groups of that genus as well as all Pupidte. In the first place, its aperture is radial, while in the Pupidse it is lateral, or tan- gential, from the columellar wall being prolonged to the periphery of the penultimate whorl, or even beyond it. In the second place, the peristome in Pupidne is more or less everted, generally with a more or less distinct lip, or at least the margin is " finished up," in mature specimens, while in tdeiititlum the peristome is straight and simple, and the margin always thin and sharp, as it is in Patula, etc., and in the Zonitidie.
This view is now confirmed by the examination of the radula. The teeth are small, comparatively, and the cusps of all are very short and small. There are r+21 (20) in a transverse row, and 116-127 such rows were counted. The centrals are tricuspid, the laterals all bicuspid, except the last which is a minute nodule ; in the others there is no difference of laterals and marginals but that the plates of attachment become shorter towards the margins, and
/6 THE NAUTILUS.
evanescent in the outer teeth. The radula is 0'">5 mill, long, 0'14 wide, and so one tooth measures about 0'0045XO'0035 mill.
This is so radical a difference from the Pupida? that our species can no longer be placed under that family. It comes nearest Pimctum jtygmceum Drap.,1 the radula being of the same type, and also the jaw is of the same formation, being quite low and composed of dis- tinct plates.
As to the generic name, Sphyradium Charp. 1837(=Columella West., Edentulina Cless., both 1876, teste Westerlund) must be used.
An interesting analogue is "Pupa" neozelanica Pfr., with much the same form of shell, which Mr. H. Suter, a few years ago, has shown to be no Pupa, but a Charopa.
It may be added that the American form is absolutely identical with the palsearctic, even showing the same wide range of variation. There is no need, then, to name it Sph. "edentulum simplex." Just so, to mention it by the way, Punetum pi/gmcfum Drap. is identical on both continents, and so it is equally useless to name it P. ]>;/yina:i/m minutissimum.
LIST, WITH NOTES, OF LAND AND FRESH WATER SHELLS COLLECTED BY DR. WM. H. RUSH IN URUGUAY AND ARGENTINA.
BY HENRY A. PILSBRY AND WILLIAM H. RUSH.
In presenting this list of land and fresh water shells from Uru- guay and Argentina, perhaps it will be well to state precisely the localities at which collections were made, especially so from the Uruguay River, which region seems to have been omitted from the report of D'Orbigny. The U. S. S. Yantic, to which the writer was attached, arrived at Montevideo, Uruguay, in January, 1892. The public park, El Prado, of the city proved to be the richest re- gion near by ; the suburbs of the town were rich in Hi-lix lucd-n, as, indeed, were many places in Uruguay and Argentina; several large tracts are preserved for the cultivation of them for the supply of the Italian markets. The Cerro, which is quite a prominent hill on a
1 In the radula of one specimen of P. ;»/;/;/<. < inn r+17 teeth were counted in a transverse row, r-f-16 in another, and SO I 78 ) rows were found. The laterals, except the last one or few, were bicuspid. (t'onf. E. S. Morse, Pulmonifera of Maine, p. 27, pi. 8, fig. 71.).
THE NAUTILUS. 77
small peninsula opposite the main city, and from which Montevideo, " The mount, I see," derives its name, contained nothing special, but the plain back of it yielded several land species, and the small runs and creeks many fresh water forms, in some of which, when dry, the whole bottom was found to be covered with dead Planorbis. Maldonado Bay is about 20 miles nearer the sea, in Uruguay, and was the only place in which the dredge was used with good results as showing the extreme southern limit of several West Indian spe- cies. Gorriti Island, in that bay, was a treasure for H. lactea, and was abundantly supplied with Strophochilus luteseens King and Bulimulus gorritiensis Pils. Near the small town of Maldonado, was found Amphidojca costellata D'Orb. in a small grove of native trees, about the only one met with. Most of the trees of any size in the immediate neighborhood of Montevideo and Buenos Ayres, are the introduced eucalyptus. Upon the visit to Buenos Ayres, Eusena- da, etc., the only thing noticeable was the extreme abundance of Ampul/aria canaliculate Lam. and its varieties, in all stages of growth from the egg upward. The Rio Parana, upon which the ship went as far as Rosario in Santa Fe province, did not yield much, principally for the reason that the ship was there during a revolution, when excursions always have an element of danger, as all the hoodlums of the town are turned loose with Winfield rifles. It was only when the ship went up the Uruguay River as far as Paysan- du that things began to be interesting, but the time was too limited, This region proved to be extremely rich in undescribed Potamo- llthns. The collecting was easy, as all that was required was to pick up any stone at extreme low water and scrape the specimens off with the light fore-finger into the collecting basket. The first visit to the water's edge at Paysandu, resulted in finding P. Ruxliii Pils., which was found to be unfigured in D'Orbigny, and so few in number that one or two trips more were taken especially to find them, but only with limited results, so it can be considered scarce. Nearly all the other forms were abundant. The means of living there are so easy that it was found a hard matter even to hire the amphibian small boy to collect Unioiilda;. A trip, by a well-organ- ized party, up the river to its source, would yield valuable results. Only three specimens of Vaglnnlns were found, and these among the ruins of an old hide building in Maldonado. The plain back of Baenos Ayres did nut yield such an abundant supply as one would expect from D'Orbigny's remarks, but possibly that was owing to the extreme dryness of the season while we were there.
78 THE NAUTILUS.
HELICID^E.
Hi'lix aspersa Miill. British cemetery at Buenos Ayres, Argen- tine Republic.
Helix ladea Miill. Gorriti Island, Mnlclonaclo Bay. Cultivated for food. This species was already abundant in Uruguay when d'Orbigny was there in 1826, and the date of its introduction could not then be ascertained.
Strophocheilus oblongus Brug. var. Fray Bentos. The apex is blunter th'an in typical oblongus, more as in »S'. capillaeeut Pfr.
Strophocheilus Intexcenn King. Gorriti Island, Maldonado Bay. Originally described from Maldonado. The eggs vary in size, especially in length, measuring from 6'5 x 9'2 to 6'2 x 7'6 mm.
BULIMULID.&.
JJiilimuliis gorritiensis Pils., n. sp.1 Gorriti Island, Maldonado Bay, under stones.
Biilimulus Rush !i Pils., n. sp. Montevideo, plain back of Cerro, on thistles.
PUPIDJE.
Odontostomus dentatus Wood. Montevideo, Uruguay, on thistles and close to ground, on plain back of the Cerro.
ENDODONTID;E.
Amphidoxa (Stejthnnoda) costellata d'Orb. A small grove of native trees near Maldonado, Uruguay. Abundant.
SUCCINEID.I-:.
Omalonyx ungnis d'Orb. I ocality not noted. Omalonyx convexa Mart. Creek in Prado, Montevideo.
VAGINUL.ID.'E. Vaginulus solea d'Orb. Near Maldonado, Uruguay.
PHYSIIVK. J'ln/sii Sowerbyana d'Orb. Creek in Prado. Montevideo.
CHILINIDJE.
Chilina ffiimin.en Matou. San Gal)riel's Island, in the Rio de la Plata, opposite Colouia, Uruguay.
Chilina Rushii Pilsbry, n. sj>. Uruguay River, at Fraj' Bentos, Uruguay. Distinguished by its angular shoulder.
'See Man. Conch. (2), XI for description and figure of this and the next species. The other new forms will be described in I'roc. Aoad. Nat. Sci. rhila. and the next number of NAUTILUS, space being lacking in this number.
THE NAUTILUS. 79
Limncea viator d'Orb. Montevideo : creek in the Prado.
Planorbis heloicus d'Orb. Montevideo, back of Cerro. The typical and a large less shining form, diam. 10 mm.
Plmwrbis peregrin us d'Orb. Montevideo, back of Cerro.
Planorbis paropseides d'Orb. (?). Creek in Prado, Montevideo. Agrees well with d'Orbigny's description and figures, but on ac- count of the locality may be a different species.
Planorbis castaneoiiitens Pils. & Van., n. sj>. Near Maldonado.
ANCYLID^E.
Ancyhis obli/ji/i/s Brod. & Sowb. San Gabriel's Island, on stones in Rio de la Plata.
The specimens vary considerable in degree of curvature of the apex, but are apparently all referable to this species, which was originally described from Chili.
AMPULLARIIDJE.
Ampnllaria neritoides d'Orb. La Plata River, San Gabriel's Island, Uruguay ; Uruguay River at Paysandu. Specimens with the interior pure white as well as the usual purple form.
Ampnllaria canaliculate Lam. Rio de la Plata at Buenos Ayres, Palenno and Ensenada ; Parana near Rosario and at Paraiso. The specimens vary from true canaliculata to the varieties insularum and australis.
Ampnllaria sp. A small form, not determined, occurred in the creek in the Prado, Montevideo.
Ampullaria Roissyi d'Orb. Parana River near Rosario, Santa Fe province, Argentina.
Ampullaria Spixii d'Orb. Parana River near Dos Hermanos (" Two brothers ") Island.
AMNICOLID^E.
Littoridina australis d'Orb. Creek in the Prado, and in a small spring back of the Cerro, Montevideo. We follow the usual identi- fication in this case, although not at all sure of its correctness. The larger specimens measure as much as 82 mm. alt.
Littoridina ehamutnu d'Orb. (?). San Gabriel's Island.
Littoridina Isabellei d'Orb. (?). San Gabriel's Island, with the preceding.
80 THE NAUTILUS.
Potamolithua Riishli Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Faysandu, Urugua}-.
Potamolithua Uierinyl. Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Pay- sandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithua microthauma Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Paysandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithua Hidalgoi Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Pay- sandu, Uruguay.
Potomolithus dinochihts Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Pay- sandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithus flnsehii ' Dkr.' Ffld. Uruguay River at Paysandu, Uruguay ; Rio de la Plata at San Gabriel's Island.
Potamolithus tricostatus Brot. Uruguay River at Paysandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithua con lens Brot. Uruguay River at Paysandu, Uru- guay-
Potamolithus Orbiyny! Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Pay- sandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithua lajiidnm d'Orb. Fray Beutos.
Potamolithua lujiiduin v. auperaulcotua Pilsbry. Rio de la Plata at San Gabriel's Island.
Potamolithua Sykexii Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Paysandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithus bisinuatus Pilsbry, n. sp. Uruguay River at Pay- sandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithus bisinuatus v. obaoleius Pils.
I'lilnmo/ith n.? i/raeilia Pilsbry, n. sj). Uruguay River at Paysandu, Uruguay.
Potamolithua yntrilis v. ririilis Pils. Uruguay River at Fray
Bentos.
CYKKNID.I;.
Corbifiifd HmotM Maton. San Gabriel's Island.
Corbicula coloniensis Pilsbry, n. sp. Rio de la Plata above Colo- nia, Uruguay. A larger, more trigonal form than the preceding species.
Sphcerium sp. undet. ('reek in the Prado, Montevideo.
Pisidium sp. undet.
Piitliliitm sp. undet.
UNIONID/E.
Unio parallelopipedon Lea. Rio de la Plata at Colonia, Urn. guay.
THE NAUTILUS. 81
Unio charruana d'Orb. Lake Potrero, near Mnldonado, Uru- guay.
Unio I'ai'iabilis Maton. Uruguay River at Fray Bentos.
Unio perceformis Lea. Rio de la Plata at Colonia. The rug;e on the posterior slope mentioned by Lea as perhaps inconstant, are present in the specimens collected.
MUTELIIXE.
Monocondylcea Pazii Lea. Colonia, Uruguay.
Monocondylcea lentiformis Lea. Colonia, Uruguay.
6 la bar is sirioiies d'Orb. Rio San Carlos, Uruguay.
Glabaris latomarginatus Lea var. fvlix Pils. Colonia, Uruguay.
Glabaris riibiciinda Lea. La Plata River at Colonia, Uruguay ; Uruguay River, Paysandu.
Glabaris li/cidus d'Orb. La Plata River at Colonia, Uruguay.
Glabaris trupesialis var. eygneiformis Pils. Pond and a small creek near Maldonado.
Glabaris trapesialis var. exotiais Lain. Anodonta exotica Lam. An.s. Vert., vi, 1819, p. 87; Deleasert,
Rec. de Coq., pi. 13, f. 1 (figure of type).
Anodon scriptus " Fer." Sowb., Conch. Icon., pi. 4, f. 9 (1867).
It is narrower than G. trapesialis, long, the anterior end very nar- row, angled at end of hinge-line; posterior muscle-scar quite near the sinus at edge of hinge ligament, connected therewith by a short impression.
Rio San Carlos, Uruguay. Rather small specimens, but agreeing with the figure of type in Delessert's Recueil.
Glabaris Forbesianns Lea. Rio de la Plata, Colonia, Uruguay. Lea's figure was from a deformed shell, and the specimens would hardly have been recognized as Forbesiama had it not been for the kindness of Mr. Simpson, who compared with the types.
ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT
[Conducted in the interest of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of the Agassi/. Associa- tion by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.]
Members of our Chapter will please bear in mind the fact that the annual reports are due in December. We anticipate some fine papers this year as our members have been enthusiastic in their study of shells.
82 THE NAUTILUS.
Yearly dues are payable in December, and promptness in this re- spect will be appreciated by the officers of the Chapter.
The annual election of officers occurs on the last Wednesday in December. Officers to be elected are the President and General Secretary. Write the names of your choice for these two officers, and send them to the General Secretary. The present incumbent for the last named office declines re-election, and would suggest that the office be filled by a member east of the Rocky Mountains.
EXTRACT FROM A NOTE BOOK
[Extract from the report of Mrs. M. F. Hradshaw. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Couchological Chapter for 1895.]
A pleasant ride through beds of wild flowers, sweeping miles of barley, or golden avenues of mustard, brought us to the seashore at Newport, Orange County, California. Here begins a peninsula of several miles in length, and in width but a narrow strip of sand, formed by the bay, into which empties the Santa Ana River. Our destination was down this strip some three miles from the little town.
The road was on the bay side, and low sand dunes, covered with wild flowers we had never seen before, lay on one side, on the other the muddy shores of the bay, literally covered with Cerithidea fi/i- funi lea.
In the afternoon we drove down the hard beach on the ocean side of this narrow peninsula for a mile or more, then crossed over the low dunes to a little "lake" made by the receding tide leaving the sand, or rather mud, dry all around this little depression. Here was our hunting ground. We proceeded to dig in the mud for live shells and, to my surprise, brought out not only clams and scallops but Naticas and Muricidte. And here I found my first Nassa fegit- la. While Cerethidea laid high and dry and apparently dead, acres and miles of them, the Nassas kept under the edge of the water, walked about quite lively, and when disturbed went quickly down into the soft mud and out of sight.
Chorus belcheri had been taken out of that pond in numbers, but M. S. had exhausted the supply before we came, There were a
THE NAUTILUS. 83
dozen or more Ptrronolus festivus, about three inches long, and they were in the bottom of the pond, under two or three feet of water.
Moiwcerox engonatam and Conux californuau were raked out of the mud near the edge, though not in great numbers.
I had always thought Muricidre were rock shells, and I won- der what they were doing here in this vile mud. Conus I have found in pools among the rocks, but only one in a place and never but four.
Which is their home, the muddy bottom of a bay, or the clear pure pools among the rocks? I confess to being disappointed in the creatures I found living in such a degraded way. Yet they had beauty of color and of form ; perhaps are more pleasing than the same number of the prettiest shells I could select from those I got among the rocks.
Crepidulu rugoxa was there in great numbers, built into towers and knots upon some old valve of a Pecten, or even upon an old shell of their own kind. They are not a very dignified mollusk, but I had never found any alive before, so was glad to find them and learn their mode of co-operative house-keeping, of which I was in ignorance. Doubtless every shell friend I have knew this habit of the Crepidula, knew it so well as never to think of mentioning it, though freely giving me the shells.
* # * A friend has awakened my interest in '• strays," so I will mention two which came under my observation on this trip. One was a Fusus, three or more inches long, which Mr. S. picked up on the ocean beach near the wharf. It was yellow but had been white,
1 think.
The other was a large Area, which a lady who lives where we were stopping picked up on the bay shore. It was dead, but the two valves lay close together ; was quite perfect but the epidermis was all worn away. It measured 82 inches ill circumference one way, and nine inches the other way, and the straight hinge line was
2 inches. I have nothing like it, so do not know its name. This lady had lived there for years but had never found any other like it. She was quite ignorant of habitat, so had no idea she had found anything of peculiar interest.
At Arch Beach I have found two or three small Area valves among the drift, and this past summer found one valve about an inch long, which is similar to an Area fasciuta from Australia.
84 THE NAUTILUS.
Pecten haatatus is now occasionally found at Newport, on the ocean beach. All I have seen are far more brilliant in color than those from Puget Sound. They are the richest shades of rose pink and crimson, both valves alike or nearly so.
SOME LAND SHELLS OF MICHIGAN.
[Extract from the Report of Mr. H. Smith. Krom the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter for 1895.]
I live on the bank of the St. Joseph River, about 25 miles from Lake Michigan. I find here Helix thi/roides Say, Helix elevata Say, H. mnltlineata Say, H. leal Ward, H. hirxutu Say, Pat u la nolitaria Say, P. alternata Say, Pupa armiferu Say, Planorb-is trivolvis Say, P. bicarinatus Say, P.exaeutus Say, Succitieo ui'ultx Gould, Selenites concamis Say, Campeloma Integra Say, Hynlina electrina Gould, Pomatiojmis cineinnatiensls Lea. I am indebted to Prof. Pilsbry for aid and encouragement. He identified a good many of my shells for me, and advised me where to get literature on the subject. Prof. Keep also helped me and sent me some specimens.
I found what might be called a " colony " of Patula alternata on a big stone pile, they seemed very plentiful at that place, and I did not see them anywhere else. The stone pile is gone now, and I shall have to look elsewhere for the pretty shells. The Helix ele- vata I found in a colony on the steep river bank, under the bushes among the leaves.
ODOR OF SNAILS.
It may not be known to every conchologist, that some of the Helices have odors peculiar to them.
We find here, Mesodon ptychophorus, Patula strigosa, P. .«>titin-i<i, Tfiodopsi- iiinlliniii van olueyce in the same locality. The P,ilnl« solitaria has so strong au odor, like Mip/iilis mephitica, that I sup- posed at first they fed on Modes (Symplocarpui) fatidm. Always the same odor and at all seasons. — MAKY P. < II.SKY.
THE NAUTILUS.
VOL. X. DECEMBER, 1896. No. 8
PURPURA LAPILLUS, VAR. IMBRICATA.
BY R. E. C. STEARNS.
Nearly sixty years ago I detected in the interstices between the granite blocks that formed the seawall on the outerside of Harrison Avenue in Boston, where said highway touches the waters of the South Cove in the immediate vicinity of the South Boston bridge (as it then existed), numerous specimens of Purpura lapillus ; the entire surface of all the specimens was evenly and beautifully im- bricated, and the specimens were of a dingy white color.
Here was a colony quite distinct in sculpture from the usual ex- amples, as seen at numerous places along the coast in the neighbor- hood of Boston. I compared them at the time with the series of this species, as exhibited in the table cases of the Boston Society of Natural History ; at that date the museum of said society contained no examples with the above sculpture characteristics, nor have I seen any since among the hundreds of specimens I have collected and handled. I made pen and ink drawings at the time, but both shells and drawings have long since passed from view and went, perhaps, to what Mr. Mautalini called the " demnition bow-wows." It is not at all uncommon to find P. lapillus, its varieties and allied forms, imbricated, more or less, but the specimens referred to and contained in my museum when I was a boy, were closely and evenly imbricated throughout, over the entire surface.
86 THE NAUTILUS.
NOTES ON NEW SPECIES OF AMNICOLID.E COLLECTED BY DR. RUSH
IN URUGUAY.
BY H. A. PILSBRY.
Full descriptions of the new forms collected by Dr. Rush will appear as soou as illustrations can be prepared. Meantime, the following notes on the Amnicoline species may be of service.
The South American fresh water Hydrobioids fall into three or four genera: POTAMOPYRGUS Stimpson, apparently confined to the extreme northern border of the continent, and perhaps to be re- garded as a straggler from the Antillean and Middle American fauna. LITTORIDINA Eydoux & Souleyet, a characteristic South American genus of slender, acute shells, usually called " Pa/udes- trina," " Hi/drobia " or Heleobia Stimp. LYRODES Doering, possi- bly a group subordinate to Potumopyrgtis. LITHOGLYPHUS of authors, stout of figure, thick and strong, the American forms with the lip expanded or having an external varix, or contracted by a callous deposit within the posterior angle in fully adult exam- ples. These seem to me to differ conchologically from the Euro- pean types sufficiently to call for generic distinction, and the new term
POTAMOLITHUS
may be applied to them. Type P. Ruthi!.
The genus Cochliopa Stimpson, with two Central American spe- cies, C. Ron'elli Tryon and C. TryoiiuinaT'ils., is like PotamolUhus in the solidity of the shell, but it is heliciform and umbilicated. Lucn- nopsis and Julllenia, two Cambodian genera, are evidently near akin to the South American Potamollthns (see Journ. de Conchy 1. 1881, p.l).
The peculiarly striking modifications of the species of this genus are scarcely paralleled in recent fresh water prosobranchs outside of Lakes Tanganyika or Baikal. They cannot well be appreciated without the aid of figures, which the writer intends publishing as soon as practicable. Until then, the species may be discriminated by the following diagnoses, which for more ready reference have been cast into the form of a key. The characters of previously known species are much abridged.
I. Columella with a longitudinal groove or pit; outer lip with a strong varix.
THE NAUTILUS. 87
«. Depressed ; periphery with a strong, cord-like keel ; back of body whorl gibbous below suture; umbilical area mod- erate or large, bounded by a keel. Alt. 5'2, diaru. 6 mm.
P. RUSHII n. sp.
««. Globose, without keels ; periphery rounded ; no ridge or hump on the back ; umbilical area small, with angular edge ; yellowish or olivaceous-brown, unicolored or with subsutural and superperipheral green bands. Alt. 5, diam. 5'4 mm. P. IHERINGI n. sp.
II. No groove on face of the columella.
a. With 5 or 6 spiral keels, all, or the upper two with acute tubercles : operculum with several whorls. Alt. 8-9, diam.
10 mm. P. MULTICARINATUS Mill.
an. Shell carinated or angulate, without tubercles.
b. Peripheral keel visible on the penultimate as well as the last whorl ; lip expanded or varixed. e. Trochoidal, with acutely, straightly conic spire, compressed median peripheral keel, a small sub- sutural cariiia. and a basal keel defining a very large umbilical tract. Aperture much contracted, the lip varix very high, recurved above periphery, the highest point of recurved lobe connected with lip-edge by a short oblique rib. Alt. 5'2, diam.
(J mm. P. Mlf'ROTHAUMA n. sp.
cc. Trochoidal, with high conic spire and flattened base and acute peripheral keel ; surface smooth above and below the keel, whorls flat above, the base slightly convex ; umbilical area very narrow, in- conspicuous ; lip varix narrow, near the lip edge. Alt. 5, diam. 5 mm. P. HIDALGOI n. sp.
ccc. Elevated turbinate, with an acute peripheral
keel, convex above and below it ; lip expanded.
Alt. 5, diam. 5 mm. P. PERISTOMATUS Orb.
bb. Peripheral keel or angle concealed on the penultimate
whorl.
c. Lip varix very strong, recurved above ; periphery hardly angular, base convex, back of body whorl with a spiral rib below the suture ; aperture much contracted ; no columellar area defined. Alt. 5, diam. 5* mm. P. DINOCHILUS n. sp.
THE NAUTILUS.
cc. Varix, expansion or contraction of the lip rather weak or inconspicuous.
il. Keeled or angular at the basal periphery,
rounded or flattened above the keel.
f. Columella wide and heavy ; alt. 4'6,
diam. 4'4 ram. P. BUSCHII ' Dkr.' Ffld.
ee. Columella narrow ; alt. 4'3, diam. 3'2
mm. P. CONICUS Brot
<ld. Body whorl squarish, the angles rounded ;
Columella rather wide; umbilical crescent
defined by a carina ; lip with a narrow
varix. Alt. 5. diam. 4£ mm.
P. ORBIGNYI n. sp.
ddd. A carina at the basal periphery, and two approximate keels on the back above.
P. TRICOSTATUS Brot.
dddd. Periphery and base well rounded ; a wide shallow sulcus or two low carina1 on the back above. Alt. 5'5, diam. 4'8 mm.
P. LAPIDUM SUPERSULCATl'S II. V.
aaa. Whorls rounded, without spiral keels, angles or sulci.
b. Globose or globose-conic ; peristome not nicked or sin- uous.
c. Not banded ; last whorl rounded ; aperture slightly contracted P. LAPIDUM Orb.
cc. 3-handed : lip and columella thin.
P. PETITIANUS Orb. bl>. Ovate, the outer or basal lip sinuous or nicked.
c. Outer lip expanded or flaring, its face thickened, with two or three nicks or sinuses. Alt. 5, diam. 4-3 mm. P. SYKESII u. sp.
cc. Outer lip thin, unexpanded.
d. Outer lip produced in a broad tongue or lobe, a deep rounded sinus above and below. Alt 5, diam. 4 mm.
P. BISINUATUS n. sp. dd. Similar, but the upper sinus obsolete.
P. JilSINUATUS OBSOLETUS n. V.
ddd. Much more slender ; outer lip retracted at insertion above, sinused at base. Alt. 4'6, diam. o'l mm. P. GRACILIS u. sp.
THE NAUTILUS. 89
dddrl. Similar, but with a rounded sinus in the outer lip above ; green.
P. GRACILIS VIRIDIS n. V.
The operculum of P. miiltii-arlnatus Miller has more whorls than those of the other species, and may eventually be placed in a new genus.
P. bisiiiuat'iis might be regarded as an immature stage of P. Sykesii were it not that until the lip expansion of the latter is fully developed no trace of sinuation occurs, the sinuses being developed in the thickened margin beyond the expansion.
The variety of P. lapidum described and figured by Strobel (Mater. Malac. Argent.) from a single shell, does not seem to have sufficiently tangible characters for recognition as distinct from typi- cal lapidum.
P. diiiochilus closely resembles P. microthauma in characters of the lip varix and aperture, and it may possibly prove to be a form of that species when extensive series of each are collected ; but the other features of the shells are so strikingly different and so con- stant in the series before me, that their union would not be justified with present knowledge.
Certain forms of P. Bmhii have two weak keels on the back and offer an approach to P. tricostatus, and the two may prove to be specifically the same, although proof is lacking that this is the case. In P. Buschii the keels or sulcus on the back are weaker when present, the umbilical crescent is larger and angular, and the form less elevated.1
1 Since the above table has been in type, I have received Mr. E. R. Sykes' notes on certain species which he was so kind as to compare at my request, with d'Orbigny's types in the B. M. " Potatnolitlms lapidum. Compared with the typical series your shells differ a bit in the aperture being somewhat pyriform, while those of the museum series are more rounded. Still they are, I think, the same species. There is only one tablet, and this contains one of your var- iety \_stifersulcattis] mingled with the rest, as also one specimen which is not the same species but may be Pctitiana.
" P. Sykesii. I think that this is only a form of Petitiana ; there are how- ever only two specimens, both immature, of this last species in the museum." [1 had supposed d'Orbigny's shells were mature, and therefore separated Sykesii on the ground of its peculiar peristome. It remains to be seen whether adult Pctitiana will prove to have the same characters, but I agree with Mr. Sykes that it is likely].
P. gracilis. This is distinct from ficinm, which is a thinner and slighter- built species, [and does not show the same apertural characters.]
90 THE NAUTILI'S.
DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW SHELLS FROM THE NEW HEBRIDES ARCHIPELAGO.
BY C. F. ANCEY.
Endodonta i?i tenuiscripta Ane.
Shell ranch depressed, lenticular, very sharply keeled at the peri- phery, thin, not much shining, of a somewhat silky appearance, openly but very widely umbilicated. Spire convex, apex obtuse, with ") regularly and slowly increasing whorls, barely convex and furnished with a linear and appressed suture, the last one slightly impressed above and below the very acute keel, slightly convex above, more so beneath. Umbilicus circular, exhibiting all the volu- tion (1-j mill, wide), surrounded by a very obtuse angle. Aperture rather oblique, securiform, somewhat sinuous, very much angular at the end of the carina, not deflexed in front. Margins distant scarcely connected by a very thin shining deposit. Sculpture very fine, consisting of oblique and very fine crowded lines of growth. Color fulvous, with numerous fine and irregular stripes of a brown tint, larger on the last whorl.
Greater diam. fii, less. 6, height 3 mill.
Island of Mallicolo, New Hebrides (E. L. Layard).
This shell is evidently related to my Put aid Glistoni, described several years ago from the same group of islands. According to Mr. Pilsbry's new arrangement, this should perhaps be rightly located in Endodonta with the species now considered, unless it may eventu- ally prove to belong to Flammulina. E. teimi^i-fi/iln is a very beautiful little shell, recalling the Hawaiian E. An»r/A<->/ which is very much like it, but wanting internal lamina?. It looks like a small Trochomorpha and especially Pararhytida on a very small scale, but is perhaps nearer to Crosse's Hi'lix trirhocoiiu'i, from New Caledonia.
From its ally, Patula Glissoni, found in the island of Vate, New- Hebrides, it may be easily distinguished from its larger size, much more acute keel, different style of color, planulate whorls and other differences.
Melania vatensis Am-.
Shell imperforate, turrited, somewhat shining, rather solid, fulvous with irregular and more or less interrupted longitudinal brown stripes and dots and lighter suture on the two last whorls. Ground color frequently more obscure at the base. Spire long, pointed,
THE NAUTILUS. 91
entire, conic, with very regular outlines. Wliorls 12-13, convex, regularly increasing, furnished with small warts, becoming obsolete at the base of each whorl and disappearing on the two last ones and sculptured with fine incised spiral sulci more crowded towards the base of the shell. Suture impressed, canaliculate on the last volu- tions. Body whorl broadly oval, rounded, often more convex below its middle. Aperture oval, angular above, not much effuse nor oblique, scarcely sinuous, livid within. Columellar edge thick, regularly arched. Operculum as usual in the genus.
Long. 30, breadth 10, height of aperture 9 mill.
Island of Vate, New Hebrides (E. L. Layard).
This has been submitted for identification to Dr. A. Brot, the regretted author of many papers on Me/aniang and he wrote me that he received the same shell from Dr. W. D. Hartnian under the erroneous name of Melanin ntnriei Gass. He was unacquainted with the shell from Vate and thought it may prove to be an un- ilcscribed species, so that I venture to give a name to it, under Dr. Brot's undisputed authority.
Neritina coccinea Anc.
Shell solid, oblong, not shining, reddish-yellow, without markings, tinged with orange near the aperture, finely striated, not spirally .sculptured, convex but not globose. Spire distinct, obtuse, lateral, entire, consisting of two whorls only, very rapidly increasing, the last one very large, transversely oval. Suture linear. Aperture oblique, with the superior edge long and elliptical connected with the basal by a large flat and thick callosity of a dull whitish or livid color. Margins not remote. Outer margin acute. Septal area without teeth. Operculum red, thin.
Diam. 6-1, height 5, do. of aperture 4; mill.
Island of Vate, New Hebrides (E. L. Layard).
This very pretty little species is quite different from any one I know of. It may perhaps be allied to Pease's rubida, from Tahiti, but is very much larger.
NEW AMERICAN UNIO.
BY WM. A. MARSH, ALEDO, MERCER CO., ILLINOIS.
Unio Askewi, new specie?.
Shell smooth, subrotund, somewhat inflated, inequilateral ; sides slightly constricted, rounded before, subtruncate posteriorly, with
92 THE NAUTILUS.
or without rays, rays obscured. Substance of the shell thick and solid ; beaks small, with a few rather coarse, concentric undulations ; ligament rather long and dark brown ; epidermis reddish-brown ; growth lines rather coarse and slightly raised ; umbonial slope obtusely angular; posterior slope angular, with a raised ridge from beaks to posterior end, slightly biaugulated ; cardinal teeth large, erect, compressed and corrugate ; lateral teeth short and slightly curved; anterior cicatrices distinct and deep; posterior cicatrices distinct; cavity of the shell deep; cavity of the beaks moderately deep ; nacre white or rose-color; soft parts unknown.
Habitat: Village Creek, Hardin Co., Texas; Sabiue River, Texas.
This shell seems to be between U. beadleianus Lea and U. ch'n-ka- sawheiisis Lea, and bears some resemblance to U. cJinnii Lea. It is more triangular than U. beadleicmns, and more solid, with a differ- ent epidermis and teeth ; it is much more inflated and more angular posteriorly than chickasawhensis, and it differs in being less heavy in the beaks and in the outline of the shell.
One specimen was received many years ago from Mr. A. G. Wetherby, from Village Creek, Hardin Co., Texas, and many speci- mens, lately, from Mr. H. G. Askew, of Austin, Texas, who is an earnest worker in this family of shells, and in whose honor I name this shell.
ISAAC LEA DEPARTMENT.
[Conducted in the interest of the Isaac Lea Conchological Chapter of Hie Aj-iis.siz Associa- tion by its General Secretary, Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.]
Kindly bear in mind the fact that this is the month when our re- ports are due, also annual dues and election of officers, as noted in the November issue of THE NAUTILUS. The tardiness of some of our members in reporting last year delayed the issue of our volume of Transactions. Some of our members are always prompt in re- porting, and the General Secretary appreciates their readiness to conform with the rules of the Cha/iti •/•.
[From the report of Miss Nelson. From the Transactions of the Isaac Lea Conch- ological Chapter for 1895.]
My interest in shells dates as far back as I can remember, when my brother and I played on the banks of the stream at our old
THE NAUTILUS. 93
home, and gathered a good many varieties of fresh-water and land shells which I have always kept.
Ill-health has prevented my doing much collecting the past year, and my attempted exchanges have been unfortunate in almost every case. However, I do not consider a "collection " the most import- ant part of any study, though I must confess it adds pleasure to it. Last July I very much enjoyed the class in conchology taught by Mrs. Shepard, and found profit also.
I spent one afternoon capturing what mollusks I could besiege in their homes in the sand and mud at the mouth of the river above Alamitos, stopping long enough at " Devil's Gate" to waylay with a hatchet a few of the inhabitants of the soft rock, such as Phola- didea, penita Conr., and Platyodon c.ancell.atus Conr. Nassa tegula Rve., Cerithidea sacra ta Gld. were enjoying a promenade on the mud, and it seemed a pity to end their happiness, unless I accept the belief of Agassiz, Cuvier and others in the immortality of animals.
I noticed a good many small holes in the sand, some with little mounds around them, like those made in the earth by some of the insect world, and, I found, on excavating them, that some of my little molluscan friends were at the bottom of the contrivance for breathing. I brought to light Donax flexuosm Gld., Liocardium substriatum, Lyonsia californica Conr. and Heterodonax bimaculatm D'Orb.
HENRY D. VAN NOSTRAND.
It is with regret that we record the death of Mr. Henry D. Van Nostrand, which occurred at his residence in Glen Ridge, N. J., on the morning of the 8th of October.
Mr. Van Nostrand was born in New York City about 73 years ago, and was long actively engaged there in mercantile business as a member of the firm of J. & H. Van Nostrand, wholesale grocers, which was founded near the beginning of the present century by his father.
Early in life he became interested in the study of conchology, and began a collection of shells which will rank with some of the best private collections in the country. The nucleus of it was that of the late John A. Redfield, which he purchased from Mr. Redfield about 40 years ago.
94 THE NAUTILUS.
Until within a few years, Mr. Van Nostrand resided at Green- ville, near Jersey City, N. J., where