PREFACE. 



The tracings from which these Etchings of Molluscous 

 Animals have been taken, were originally made by Mrs. 

 Gray, for my use, with the view of their being added to 

 my collection of figures of Shells, and to aid me in their 

 arrangement. Hoping that others may find such a col- 

 lection of figures (many of them copied from expensive 

 works, and brought together from sources not easily access- 

 ible to Conchologists in general) as useful as they have 

 been to myself, I induced Mrs. Gray to make slight 

 etchings of them, which afforded her an interesting occu- 

 pation when she has been confined to the house bv ill 

 health. 



Some of the earlier figures, it should be stated, were 

 taken from tracings made with no intention of their being 

 copied, and intended only to represent the leading features 

 of the original; and this circumstance will explain why, in 

 a few instances, the etchings do not convey all the charac- 

 ters of the original figure. 



As the present work has been a labour of love, in 

 order to bring it with hi the reach of Conchologists of 



