LECTURES ON MOLLUSCA. 283 



ranging the nomenclature for this report, we have endeavored to pre- 

 serve as far as possible the names in common use; and when dead 

 names have been revived, they are taken not as the works of Link or 

 Klein, but as the names of Gray or Adams, who have given an accu- 

 rate diagnosis to what before was of uncertain import. By all means, 

 let us spend our time in the living present. The naturalist is not 

 required to be the archa3ologist. 



The study of .Mollusks in connection with their geographical distri- 

 bution is a matter of the very first importance. For this reason, all 

 persons who will carefully note what shells are found living, what 

 dead, and what fossil, in their own localities, and distribute them 

 accordingly, may be rendering the most essential service. Our knowl- 

 edge of the American faunas is by no means so complete as of those of 

 Europe : and as men of intelligence are now to be found in every part 

 of the continent, and the young are now learning freely in the public 

 schools what in the Old World has long been the property only of the 

 learned few, we ought to find our information accumulating with giant 

 strides. 



To young naturalists, we may be allowed to say that he who will 

 carefully work up the labors of his predecessors, and make out their 

 synonymy, is doing far more useful and more honorable labor than he 

 who only affixes his own name to a number of fresh species. 



If space and time had permitted, it might have been interesting to 

 have followed up this sketch of the generic forms of Mollusks, with an 

 account of their geographical and geological distribution. But this 

 has been clone so admirably by Woodward, in the latter part of his 

 "■ Manual of Mollusca," that there is scarcely occasion to do more than 

 to refer the reader to his pages. We have followed the plan of Gray 

 and Adams, of free multiplication of families and genera, rather 

 than that of Woodward of only keeping a few leading distinctions, 

 simply because in the actual work of identifying shells we have found 

 it far more convenient ; but a comparison of all ordinary books with 

 the " Manual" only amazes us more and more at- the vast amount of 

 patient investigation, of accumulated facts, and of philosophic judg- 

 ment which its author has condensed into a small volume ; and it is 

 equally surprising how^ with all the beautiful engravings and wood- 

 cuts, it can be sold (as it is in London) for $1 32. 



The days are coming when books will be more accessible to students. 

 The contemplated series of text books on American Natural History 

 which the Smithsonian Institution propose to issue will be of essential 

 service. The cheap figures of Chenu will form a portable collection of 

 shells for those who have not access to museums. And to those who 

 cannot obtain even the cheapest of books, there lies, spread out before 

 them, in every stream, in every wood, on every prairie, at every shore, 

 the one grand book of Nature ; ever ancient and yet ever new ; in 

 which the still small voice of its Life-giver is ever inviting us to come 

 unto Him, and learn ; to come unto Hinx, and labor ; to come unto 

 Him, and rejoice in his boundless love. 



