PREFACE. 



b 



At the request of the Smithsonian Institution I have prepared 

 the following Manual of the Land-Shells of North America, 

 based on the " Monograph of the Terrestrial Air-Breathiug Mol- 

 lusks of the United States." I have copied the descriptions and 

 figures of the species described in the four volumes of that work, 

 enlarging the synonymy and adding to the notes of geographical 

 distribution. The more recently discovered species are also de- 

 scribed, the whole subject being brought down to January, 18G8. 



The geographical limits of my work include all of North 

 America from the extreme north to the Rio Grande and to 

 Mazatlan. 



In the preparation of the work I have been greatly aided by 

 my friend Mr. Thomas Bland, of New York. The elimination 

 of some of the most difficult groups is to be accredited solely to 

 him. He has, indeed, been so thoroughly identified with the work 

 tliat I have obtained permission to use his name on the title- 

 page, thus giving additional autliority to the work. 



Most of the figures have bej:'n drawn by Mr. E. S. Morse, of 

 Salem, Mass. 



W. G. BINNEY. 



Burlington, N. J., February, 1869. 



(iii) 



