Systematisches Verzeichniss der in Deutschland lebenden Binnen - Mollusken, zusammengestellt

Abstract

A BOOK of 403 pages, and merely a list of the inland (or land and freshwater) Mollusca of Germany, without any description or figure. Nearly one-half of this extensive compilation is taken up with useless synonyms of the species. Among the chaff there is some good grain in the nature of geographical and geological distribution. The author does not seem to be a species-maker; although in some cases he attaches, in my opinion, too much importance to slight and local differences. However, there is unfortunately no court of appeal. He evidently has not consulted all the works which he cites; or he would not have adopted Dr. J. E. Gray's specific name of striatula for the Zonites radiatulus of Alder, the former having described or rather indicated the species as “Helix Zonites striatula” and thus contravened the established rules of nomenclature. Nor do we find any reference to works which were published last year before the date of his preface, for instance, the concluding volume of “British Conchology.“Herr Kreglinger enumerates 347 species as inhabiting Germany-a wide range, extending from Schleswig-Holsteiii to Dalmatia (a distance of between 800 and 900 miles), and comprising every variety of situation and soil, mountain, forest, pasture, woodland, lake, river, marsh, and the sea-coast. Indeed, in the last respect, he has “travelled out of the record” by adding some unquestionably marine species belonging to the genera Melampus and Truncatella. The number of British inland species is 125. Of Clausilia we have 4 only, while Germany boasts of 54; of Vitrina and its allies we possess but 1 out of 9, of Nentina 1 out of 5, and of Hydrobia (or Paludinelld) 1 out of 18; the genera Zospemn and Lithoglyphus, which are peculiar to South Germany, and the family of Melania are utter strangers to our country. It is to be regrettedthat the author has without inquiry followed L. Pfeiffer inrecognising such genera as Azeca and Ferussacia. Those few workers, to whom the high price of 20s. may not be an object, will be glad to have this catalogue raisonnée in their libraries.

Systematisches Verzeichniss der in Deutschland lebenden Binnen - Mollusken, zusammengestellt,

von Carl Kreglinger. 8vo. (Wiesbaden, 1870.)