38 iNTRODUcrrioN. 



to it, it will be seen that the laborers in this branch of 

 Natural Ilistorj have been numerous, and that a respect- 

 able amount of materials has been accumulated. No 

 attempt has hitherto been made to combine these into 

 a work upon American Conchology, or upon the partic- 

 ular branch of it which is now presented. In bringing 

 together these materials for the first time, it would be 

 interesting and proper to give some history of them and 

 of their authors, and thus to trace the science from its 

 first dawnings in this country to the present time ; but 

 there are circumstances which render it inexpedient to 

 do so. It is only within a few years that any considera- 

 ble attention has been given to such subjects, and con- 

 sequently, these pubhcations are so recent, that with 

 few exceptions, their authors are yet upon the stage, 

 and have not yet passed the active period of life. Such 

 an account would almost necessarily partake of a critical 

 character, and would therefore place the author in the 

 position of a self-appointed judge of the labors of his 

 contemporaries and friends, an office which he would 

 not willmgly assume, and for which he is but \R qualified. 

 There are, however, two names, both connected with the 

 rise of Natural History in the United States, and both 

 having exercised an influence in its promotion, but with 

 far diflbrent results in usefulness to science, and in honor 

 to themselves, about wliich it is necessary to make some 

 remarks, and to which the objections above indicated do 

 not apply. These are the names of Thomas Say, and 

 of CoNSTANTiNE ScHMALTZ Rafinesque. The latter 



