S £orion I V., 1895. [ 354 1 Trans. R.S.C. 
IL. Preliminary Catalogue of the Marine Motlusca of the Pacific Coast 
of Canada, with notes upon their distribution. 
By the REVEREND GEORGE W. Taytor, F.ZS. 
(Read May 25, 1894.) 
In the present paper I have not attempted anything more than 
is expressed in the title, namely a “ Preliminary Catalogue” of the 
Marine Mollusca of our province. 
The time when it will be possible to write an exhaustive history of 
our western shells has not yet come. Too little local collecting has been - 
done. We who are resident within the province, and who have oppor- 
tunity of examining the shells themselves, are unable to consult much 
of the necessary literature. On the other hand, naturalists more 
favourably situated with regard to books, and who have access to the 
great libraries, lack the advantage of possession of complete series of 
specimens. 
Some day, let us hope, scientific literature will be more accessible 
to us in the far west and then perhaps we may be able to study our 
fauna thoroughly on the spot. In the meantime it is believed that a 
catalogue like the present, in which are brought together the results 
of the observations of the principal previous workers, will be of use to 
those who may, in the future, be led to take up the subject. 
It is not claimed, of course, that even as a compilation this: 
catalogue is free from error, but every care has been taken in verifying 
quotations and records, and it is hoped that no very serious blunders 
will have crept in. 

A writer upon west American mollusca must almost of necessity 
take as his starting point the classic works of Dr. P. P. Carpenter. 
When that distinguished conchologist presented his first report ! to 
the British Association, hardly anything was known of the mollusca of 
the Vancouver province. Only about 85 species belonging to our fauna 
were noted as west American in that report, and near! 
either Arctic or Southern Californian shells. 
In the interval, however, between 1856 and the completion, in 1863, 
of Dr. Carpenter’s second report? a vast amount of additional informa- 
tion was accumulated. 
all of these were 

1 ‘ Report on the present state of our knowledge with regard to the mollusea of 
the west coast of North America,” in the Report of the British Association for 1856, 
published in 1857. 
? “Supplementary report on the present state of our knowledge with regard to 
the mollusca of the west coast of North America,” in the Report of the British 
Association for 1863, published in August, 1864. 
Sec. IV., 1895. 2. 
