ADVERTISEMENT, 



THE present work is submitted with the utmost defer- 

 ence to the Reader as a general and very copious eluci- 

 dation of all the larger kinds of Shells found in this 

 country. 



At the commencement of this undertaking the Author 

 proposed that the five volumes of which this work consists 

 should include figures and descriptions of all the British 

 Shells ; so far at least as they could be correctly ascer- 

 tained. The amount of these collectively, he was induced 

 to think might be very nearly appreciated from the seve- 

 ral works of Lister, Merret, Petiver, Walker, Pennant, 

 and Da Costa : from the number of nondescript British 

 Shells that came into his possession with the original col- 

 lection of the latter writer, together with those in his own 

 cabinet independent of them ; the whole amount of which 

 was far from inconsiderable. 



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