SB Mr. Braderip*s de script ions 



fits of their zealous labours. A host of others who have made 

 and are making rapid strides into the inmost recesses of the animal 

 kingdom, or have contributed from their stores materials which 

 shed an additional light on the path of their fellow labourers, 

 wrJl he found in the list of collectors.* For the best natural 

 arrangement of shells hitherto published we must look abroad : 

 but we shall find that we owe this arrangement to a collector ; 

 and, whenever we come to any very rare or interesting species in 

 the pages of Lamarck, we are almost sure to find thereunder 

 written " mon cabinet.'*^ 



It would be idle to waste time in multiplying instances : in- 

 deed, if we consider for a moment, we shall not find it extra- 

 ordinary that so large a catalogue of names can be readily quoted 

 against the reviewer. What is it that spurs on the man employed 

 in zoological pursuits to make a collection of the objects of his 

 study, objects which, in many cases, are the fruit either of pain- 

 ful and patient research, or costly price ? The many will answer 

 — vanity. " Is it answered ?" I say nay. Such a collector may, 

 indeed, be proud of the museum which his zeal and activity have 

 succeeded in forming, and justly; but vanity is not the motive 

 •which incites him to collect. What then is the motive ? — It is 

 necessity : he cannot report progress without having materials for 

 study. In the existing state of the public zoological collections 

 of England, he cannot calculate upon their never-failing resources: 

 and, though a spirit is abroad which leads the naturalist, whether 

 in the metropolis or in the great country towns, to hope that 

 future students will begin their labours with a prospect of better 

 days, he must, at present, either stand still, or trust to his own 

 collections and those of his friends. 



There is, however, it must be confessed, a species of collector, 



♦ The following names, together with matiy others of merit, will occur to 

 almost every one conversant with Zoology. Bell, Bennett, Brookes, Burchell, 

 CJhildren, Clift, Conybeare, Curtis, De la Beche, Dillwyn, Donovan, Fleming, 

 Goodall, Gray, Hardwicke, Haworlh, Home, Horsfield, Humphrey, King, 

 Kirby, Konig, Laskey, Latham, Leach, MacLeay, Maton, Mawe, Miller, 

 Rackett, Raffles, Sabine, Samouelle, Selby, Sowerby, Spence, Stanley, 

 Sl«phen5, Stoke?, Such, Swainson, Traill, Turlon, Vigors, 



