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XIV. Obfervations on the Hinges of Briii/fj Bivahe Shells* 

 By Mr, William Wood, F.L.S, 

 Read January 6, 1801. 



Among the many authors who have either noticed fhells in 

 their works on Natural Hiftory, or have written profefiedly on the 

 fubjedt, it is rather extraordinary that no particular attention fhould 

 have been hitherto paid to their hinges ; more efpecially as they 

 afford the leading chara6lers by which fhells are arranged. 



Da Cofta, indeed, in his Elements of Conchology, has figured 

 the hinges of the feveral genera of bivalves ; but many of them are 

 not calculated to give a clear idea of the parts which they are in- 

 tended to reprefent : befides, he has confined himfelf to one fpecies 

 in a genus, which is by no means fufficient, inafmuch as many of 

 the hinges of the fame genus of fhells differ materially from one 

 another in their fpecific characters. 



Figures on this fubje6l have been given alfo in the lafl volume of 

 the Amo^nitates Academicce ; but thefe are more calculated to miflead 

 than to inflru^l. The confideration that fomething of this kind, 

 executed in a more accurate and comprehcnfive manner than has 

 hitherto been done, is ftill a defideratum among conchologifls, has 

 induced me to attempt the following obfervations, which I lay be- 

 fore the Society with all diffidence, confcious that they are far 

 from being faultlefs, and that fome fhells are omitted which may, 



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