Historical Account of Testaceological Writers. 189 
descriptions of Geoffroy; they contain figures of forty-six shells 
(with French names correspondent to Geoffroy 's system), all found 
in the environs of Paris. 
Many valuable experiments and observations, tending to throw 
light on the physiology and pathology of the Snail tribe, are to 
be found in the Journal des Scavans for 1770. They were com- 
menced in the year 1768 by 
COTTE, 
and continued in the Journal de Physique. 
WALLIS, 
the historian of Northumberland, includes the Testacea in his ac- 
count of the natural productions of that county, adding copious 
synonyms from Lister, Petiver, and Linnaeus; but the number of 
species described is only eight. 
The commencement of the great conchological work of 
MARTINI, 
in the year 1769, may be considered as forming a sort of epoch 
in the history of that science, it being the most copious, labori- 
ous, and valuable publication on the subject of shells that has 
hitherto appeared. Only three volumes, however, Avere completed 
by this author; the other seven came from a Danish clergyman, 
J. H. CHEMNITZ, 
by whom the undertaking was concluded in 1788. The " Neues 
Systematisches Conchylien Cabinet" contains 366 plates, exhibiting 
no fewer than 3711 figures, besides vignettes, &c. which are all 
faithfully drawn, and coloured with the utmost accuracy. In the 
9th volume are many South Sea species, which had never before 
been floured, and which were selected from some of the most 
celebrated 
