72 



[J. A. N. S. Vol. ii. p. 281, et seqq. June, 1822.] 



During oecagional visits to our sea coast, and particularly on a 

 journey to East Florida, in company with Messrs. Maclure, Ord, 

 and T. Peale, I availed myself of every favorable opportunity to 

 collect marine shells, whilst engaged in the pursuit of other and 

 more favorite objects. 



No naturalist, however conversant he may be with marine pro- 

 ductions, can examine our sea coast for a single day with ordinary 

 assiduity, without discovering something new or interesting to re- 

 ward his labors, and to gratify his laudable curiosity. Accordingly 

 these researches furnished my cabinet with a great number of 

 shells which were unknown to me, and of which many appeared to 

 be unnoticed in those works on conchology to which I could obtain 

 access. 



But supposing that these apparently new species, many of which, 

 being either abundant in individuals, or attractive to the eye by 

 beauty of coloring or symmetry of fonn, had been often observed 

 by foreign naturalists and collectors, and in all probability had long 

 since been transmitted to Europe, and perhaps published in some 

 splendid volume, or, to us, obscure tract, of which the title had not 

 yet reached this country, I was induced to relinquish any further 

 investigation of the subject, and to dwell upon the hope of receiv- 

 ing more exotic information than we already possessed. 



This course I was more readily inclined to pursue, in conse- 

 quence of being informed that an American zoologist had already 

 commenced the examination of our marine shells, with the inten- 

 tion of publishing the result of his observations. Several years 

 have, however, since elapsed Avithout any addition to our know- 

 ledge in this department of Natural History, from the pen of an 

 American author. 



Several naturalists who now devote a portion of their attention 

 to conchology, and particularly to that of the United States, having 

 recently requested me to publish an account of our marine shells, 

 I have thought it might be useful to communicate to them imme- 

 diately descriptions of those which I do not find to be distinctly 

 described by attainable authors. Such species or varieties, only, 

 are made known in the following essay. 



With a view to condense this paper as much as possible, I have 

 omitted the generic characters, but at the same time, I have been 



