BY C. HEDLEY. 25 



^The full title of his book is : — " Conchology | or the | Natural 

 History of Shells : | containing | a new arrangement of the genera 

 and species, | illustrated by | coloured engravings | executed 

 from the natural specimens, | and | including the latest dis- 

 coveries I by I George Perry." London, 1811. 



The work is post-Linnean, the species are named binomially, 

 and are systematically'' figured and described. In short, the 

 nomenclature fulfils the requirements of modern zoological legis- 

 lation, and must take precedence of younger names. The illus- 

 trations vary in merit; some are excellent, others are wretched; 

 but most, if not all, are recognisable. 



Gray wrote in 1829 : — " I have ventured to refer to this work, 

 as T consider that it is just that every author should be quoted; 

 and this author has anticipated Lamarck, Swainson and Sowerby 

 in several species."* 



Gray put his principles into practice by withdrawing his 

 Cypraea jyrinceps in favour of Perry's prior Gypraea valentia. 



Deshayes did not meet with Perry's book until he had partly 

 completed his second edition of Lamarck's Animaux sans Verte- 

 bres. But through the latter part of that work he regularly 

 quoted Perry, and withdrew his species Fusus laticostatus in 

 favour of Perry's earlier name of F. variegatns. 



Sowerby and Reeve were not disposed to acknowledge any 

 work which upset their species. They ungenerously denied 

 Perry's right to be cited, and assailed his nomenclature with 

 hatred and abuse. f So powerful and evil was their influence that 

 Perry's 'Conchology' has been practically suppressed by London 

 writers. Even the brothers Adams, who offended against modern 

 usage by adopting names from polynomial and pre-Linnean 

 writers, yet refused to admit Perry's names. 



* Gray, Zool. Journal, iv., p. 68. 

 t Sowerby, Zool. Journal, iv., p. 217: Reeve, Conch. Icon, iii., Cyprsea^ 

 Sp. 17, note; iv., Fusus, Sp. 33, note; and vii., Ranella, Sp. 47, note. 



