126 



author's two daughters, Susanna and Ann Lister. It is an extraordinary 

 circumstance, that no two copies of this work are found alike; which renders 

 it very complex, and ill suited for general purposes. The plates in the most 

 perfect copies vary from 1050 to 1067, the different copies having been 

 augmented or diminished, and the plates transposed or corrected, at various 

 times, according to the subsequent discoveries of the author.* 



The popular work ushered into the world, under the immediate patronage 

 of Rumphius, claims particular notice. This bears the title of "Amboynsche 

 Rariteit Kamer," the Rarity chamber of Amboyna, and contains an 

 account of the more remarkable natural curiosities in his museum, the pro- 

 ductions of Amboyna, where they had been collected chiefly by Rumphius 

 himself. Of 60 plates with which this work is embellished, no less than 33 

 are devoted to the subject of shells, the total number of which amounts to 

 about 400; and many of these of great rarity and price in those days. It is 

 related as a matter of astonishment, that Rumphius himself informs us, a shell 

 described in his work, cost no less than 500 florins, about $300 of our money. 

 The sum is great, yet there are few cabinets in Europe that do not in- 

 clude specimens of equal or much greater cost. Lyonnet estimates the price 

 of his Cedo Nulli far higher; and many other instances of immense sums being 

 paid for shells might be adduced. Among the plates illustrative of various 

 curious subjects contained in the museum of Gottwold, of Dantzic, dated 

 1714, forty-three are appropriated to shells. 



The valuable work of C. N. Langius, " Methodus nova Testacea marina 

 in suas classes, genera, et species distribuendi," was published in quarto at 

 Lucerne, in 1722. To the writings of this able naturalist, Linnaeus stands 

 highly indebted. Gualteri's work on shells is a standard book of reference, 

 and, as such, is well known. This is entitled " Index Testarum Conchylio- 

 rum qua? adservantur in Musseo Nicolai Gualteri, &c." It was published in 

 Latin, at Florence, in 1747, and contains 110 plates of shells, the figures of 

 the univalves in which are singularly placed on their summit; they are, nev- 

 ertheless, tolerably correct. The descriptive matter is less interesting.! 

 " La Conchyliologie," of D'Argenville is a voluminous work, and contains a 

 vast number of excellent descriptions, and many figures. The first edition 

 of this work appeared in 1742, and a second, considerably augmented, in 

 1754: the last edition was published in 1730, with many additions, cor- 

 rections and improvements, containing also a series of plates of about 2000 



* In the Boston Athenaeum. •(• In the library of Harvard College. 



