whose headquarters are
Chinese, while among these, forms with sinistral shells are relatively
common. The genus _Clausilia_ is remarkable on account of attaining a
second centre of development in China, where its finest species,
referable to several subgenera, occur. Carnivorous molluscs include a
peculiar slug (_Rathouisia_) and the shelled genera _Ennea_ and
_Streptaxis_. In the western provinces species of _Buliminus_ are
abundant, and in the operculate group _Heudeia_ forms a peculiar type
akin to _Helicina_, but with internal foldings to the shell.

Lastly, it has to be mentioned that the waters of the Yangtsze-kiang
are inhabited by a small jelly-fish, or medusa (_Limnocodium kawaii_),
near akin to _L. sowerbii_, which was discovered in the hot-house
tanks in the Botanical Gardens in the Regent's Park, London, but whose
real home is probably the Amazon. (R. L.*)

_Flora_.

The vegetation of China is extremely rich, no fewer than 9000 species
of flowering plants having been already enumerated, of which nearly a
half are endemic or not known to occur elsewhere. Whole provinces are
as yet only partially explored; and the total flora is estimated to
comprise ultimately 12,000 species. China is the continuation eastward
of the great Himalayan mass, numerous chains of mountains running
irregularly to the sea-board. Thousands of deep narrow valleys form
isolated areas, where peculiar species have been evolved. Though the
greater part of the country has long ago been cleared of its primeval
forest and submitted to agriculture, there still remain some extensive
forests and countless small woods in which the original flora is well
preserved. Towards the north the vegetation is palaearctic, and
differs little in its composition from that of Germany, Russia and
Siberia. The flora of the western and central provinces is closely
allied to that of the Himalayas and of Japan; while towards the south
this element mingles with species derived from Indo-China, Burma and
the plain of Hindostan. Above a certain elevation, decreasing with the
latitude, but approximately 6000 ft. in the Yangtsze basin, there
exist in districts remote from the traffic of the great rivers,
extensive forests of conifers, like those of Central Europe in
character, but with different species of silver fir, larch, spruce and
Cembran pine. Below this altitude the woods are composed