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Show 948 DR. GWYN JEFFREYS ON THE MOLLUSCA OF THE [Nov. 29, In concluding the lists of the Brachiopoda and Conchifera procured during the Expeditions of H.M.S. 'Lightning' and 'Porcupine' from 1868 to 1870, I may explain that the delay of publication, although considerable, was unavoidable ; but it has not been without some compensation. Since that period several important and extensive deep-sea explorations have been made from Germany, Norway, Holland, France, Italy, the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, the results of which have greatly tended to increase and improve our knowledge of the geographical and hydrographical distribution of the Mollusca in the North Atlantic. Moreover the careful investigation of the Tertiary and Post-tertiary shells by Professor Seguenza and a host of other able palaeontologists has enabled us to ascertain more exactly the range of their geological position. I should be inclined to regard as last in the order of scientific value the discovery of what are called "new species." W e know very little-too little-of the abyssal fauna ; but it is evident that every exploration of the oceanic bed must produce an endless number of hitherto unpublished forms, to say nothing of those forms which some naturalists, anxious for that kind of fame, continually contrive to manufacture out of the varieties of recorded species. SUPPLEMENT TO PARTS I., IL, III. Parti., P.Z.S. 1878:- Page 398. With respect to the so-called genus Waldheimia, my friend Mr. Davidson, in his Report on the Brachiopoda from the ' Challenger' Expedition, says that " there exists in the dorsal valve of Waldheimia a median septum, which is not present in TereBratula." But some of those species of TereBratula which he there places in Waldheimia (e. g. T. cranium and T. tenera) have no such septum. Rhynchonella psittacea has no septum, • • while R. sicula has one. That character, therefore, will not serve for generic distinction. P. 399. Argiope cistellula. Fossil. Calabria. „ Plalydia anomio'ides. Fossil. Calabria. P. 400. Rhynchonella sicula. Fossil. Calabria. ,, Crania anomala. Fossil. Monte Mario and Calabria. P. 401. TereBratula caput-serpentis. The range of depth for other localities, besides those given for the ' Lightning' and ' Porcupine' Expeditions, should be 400 fms. The variety mediterranea is T. emarginata of Risso. P. 402. TereBratula tuBerata. North of Spain ('Travailleur' Exp., 1881). ,, Terebratula subquadrata. Bay of Biscay ('Travailleur' Exp.), very young specimens; 645 fms. P. 404. TereBratula vitrea, var. sphendidea. N. Spain ('Travailleur' Exp., 1881). P. 405. TereBratula cranium. Bay of Biscay ('Travailleur' Exp.) 1011 fms. |