150 Dr. Ma ton's and Mr. Rackett's 
able writers of that day. Rumphius himself informs us in his 
preface to the " Amboinshe Rariteitkamcr," that a shell described 
in this work cost no less than 500 Dutch florins. 
The book bearing this title contains a description, in the Dutch 
language, of the more remarkable natural productions of Am- 
boyna preserved in the museum of Rumphius, which are figured 
in sixty plates, thirty-three of these containing solely shells. The 
figures were designed by Madame Sybille Merian, so well known 
by her work on the Surinam insects : they are, in general, cor- 
rect; but there is a harshness in the engraving which takes oft' 
considerably from the beauty of many of the subjects. The de- 
scription was written by M, Schein Voet, who adopted no very 
regular method ; nor does he appear to have been extensively 
conversant with preceding Testaceological authors. There was a 
second edition of the work in 1741; and, indeed, an intermediate 
publication of the plates by themselves took place, without any 
letter-press, except a table of Latin, Dutch, and Malabar names. 
This last-mentioned edition is in more general use than either of 
the other two. 
The great service rendered to science by the industry and libe- 
rality of Rumphius, caused him to be received as a member into 
most of the learned societies of Europe : in that of the Natune 
Curiosorum of Germany he obtained the appellation of Plinius 
Indicus, which was richly merited by the vast accession to our 
knowledge of the productions of that part of the world made by 
his own researches, and displayed in his magnificent publications. 
In the Ephemerides of the illustrious academy just mentioned ap- 
pear two dissertations on Testaceological subjects from the pen 
of Rumphius: the first, " de Ova Marino, PorceUanis, sen Cone his 
venereis," is illustrated by very good figures of Bulla Ovum and 
Cypnea Arabica; and the second, " de Nautilo remigante et velifi- 
cante" 
