The plates have been carefully improved; and three, containing upwards of eighty figures, have been added.
On the whole, it will be found that the amount of matter has been nearly doubled; all the defects, as far as they have been discovered, have been removed, and every means used of making the present edition as useful as possible.
NAMES OF AUTHORS ABBREVIATED.
Adans. Adanson. Author of "Voyages du Senegal."
Bl. Blainville. Author of "Manuel de Malacologie et de Conchyliologie," &c.
Brod. W. J. Broderip, Esq. Author of various descriptions of Shells in the Zoological Journal, &c.
Brongn. Brongniart. Author of "Memoire sur les terrains du Vicentin, d'Italie, de France, et d'Allemagne," &c.
Brug. Brugière. Author of "Dictionaire des Vers testacés, dans l'Encyclopédie," &c.
Cuv. The late Baron Cuvier. Author of "Regne Animal," &c.
Defr. Defrance. Contributor to the "Annales des Sciences Naturelles," &c.
Desh. Deshayes. Author of "Coquilles fossiles des environs de Paris," &c.
D'Orb. D'Alcide D'Orbigny.
Drap. Draparnaud. Author of "Histoire Naturelle des Mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles de la France," &c.
Fer. De Ferussac. Author of "Histoire Naturelle des Mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles," &c.
Flem. Fleming.
Gmel. Gmelin. Author of an edition of Linnæus's "Systema Naturæ," &c.
Guild. Rev. Lansdown Guilding.
Hübn. Hübner.
Humph. The late George Humphrey.
Lam. Lamarck. Author of "Animaux sans Vertebres," &c.
Lin. Linnæus. Author of "Systema Naturæ," &c.
Mont. Montague. Author of "Testacea Britannica," &c.
Montf. Montfort. Author of "Histoire Naturelle des Mollusques," &c.
Müll. Müller. Author of "Vermium terrestrium et fluviatilum," "Zoologiæ Danicæ," &c.
Ranz. Ranzani. Author of "Considerations sur les Balanes," &c.
Schum. Schumacher.
Sow. Sowerby. The late James. Author of "Mineral Conchology," &c. George Brettingham, Senr., "Genera of Shells," "Species Conchyliorum," &c. G. B. Jun. "Conchological Manual," "Conchological Illustrations," "Thesaurus Conchyliorum," Descriptions of New Shells in the Zoological Proceedings, &c.
Sw. Swainson. Author of "Zoological Illustrations," "Exotic Conchology," "Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopedia," &c.
Turt. Turton. Author of "British Shells."
INTRODUCTION.
The Science of Conchology affords a very delightful and instructive amusement for the leisure hours of those who, retiring occasionally from the gaieties of fashionable life, seek pleasure in the quiet contemplation of some of the smaller, but not less wonderful operations of creative wisdom. And, although the study of shells would be more complete, and rank higher in the scale of philosophical pursuits, were it always accompanied by that of the animal inhabiting them, it nevertheless presents means of intellectual gratification, to many who cannot follow it beyond the cabinet and the boudoir. These may examine with admiration and mental improvement, the beautiful colouring and architecture of these wonders of the deep, they may exercise their taste and judgment in the selection and arrangement of specimens, and their discrimination in detecting and appreciating the distinctions upon which the arrangement is founded.
It is but little that can be known of the subject without forming a collection of greater or less extent; for, as it would be uninstructive merely to delight the eye with the bright colours and elegant form of shells, without possessing correct information respecting them, so it would be insipid and useless to learn technicalities without being acquainted by personal observation with the subjects to which they are applied. The first endeavour should, therefore, be to obtain a few shells as examples of the larger divisions, and, when these are understood, to proceed with the smaller groups, until a collection be formed to represent as many generic forms as possible. It may be as well here to advise those who are forming a collection to be very particular in every practicable instance to have the shells properly named at the time of purchasing; as it will save much trouble, and materially assist in the attainment of the desired object. To this end, recourse should be had to those naturalist tradesmen, who unite the attainment and diffusion of real scientific knowledge with their commercial pursuits.
Supposing, however, that the person who desires to learn the science, possesses a small parcel of unarranged and unnamed shells, without any previous acquaintance with the subject, the following introductory explanations, are drawn up with the view of enabling him, without further assistance, to obtain a general insight into its principles, equal to that of those who have studied it long and laboriously. To effect this, he must read them, carefully comparing the descriptions with the figures referred to, and with the specimens which he may have at command.