Historical Account ofTestaceoIogical Writers. 145 
rous individuals towards public bodies, that common care is 
rarely taken to preserve from destruction what escapes the hand 
of peculation and robbery. But to return to our subject : The 
description of the Balfourian museum treats pretty largely of the 
specimens of Testacta contained in it, being divided into five 
chapters, agreeably to something like system. The preface con- 
tains an interesting account of the most remarkable muscta ante- 
rior to the formation of the Balfourian, and also of the works 
which profess to describe them. 
One of the earliest and most elaborate of Sibbald's performances 
in natural history was his " Scotia illustrata, she Prodromus Histo- 
rice naturalis" &c. published in the year 1684. The attempt, as it 
was the first made in that country to describe scientifically its 
several productions, deserves very respectful mention, and will 
be a lasting monument of the learning and industry of the author; 
who, however, whether from finding the undertaking too exten- 
sive and laborious, or from being discouraged by some severe 
criticisms on what he had already accomplished, never executed 
his intention, to write the miscellaneous history of Scotland in all 
its branches. He answered some of the attacks made on his work 
in " Vindicia Scotia illustrate" annexed to his " Miscellanea eru- 
ditce Antiquitatis" which were published in 1710, and reprinted, 
with all his folio works except the " Scotia illustrata" in 1739. 
With regard to the Testaceological part of the Prodromus, it 
is concise and obscure, and illustrated only by two plates : the 
system is founded partly on the principles of Lister, and partly on 
those of Buonanni. 
But this was not the only treatise of Sibbald on the subject of 
shells, for he was the author also of a work entitled " Nautilogia ; 
aive Exercitatio philosophica de Nautilis aliisque Conchy His navigcra 
yoi. vn, u Similitudine 
