Historical Account of Testaccological Writers. 145 



rous individuals towards public bodies, that common care is 

 rarely taken to preserve from destruction what escapes the hand 

 of peculation and robbery. But to return to our subject : The 

 description of the Balfourian museum treats pretty largely of the 

 specimens of Testacea contained in it, being divided into five 

 chapters, agreeably to something like system. The preface con- 

 tains an interesting account of the most remarkable muscea ante- 

 rior to the formation of the Balfourian, and also of the Avorks 

 Avhich profess to describe them. 



One of the earliest and most elaborate of Sibbald's performances 

 in natural history was his " Scotia illustrata, sive Prodromus Histo- 

 ricBnaturaJis," &c. published in the ycarl684. The attempt, as it 

 was the first made in that country to describe scientifically its 

 several productions, deserves very respectful mention, and will 

 be a lasting monument of the learning and industry of the author; 

 who, however, whether from finding the undertaking too exten- 

 sive and laborious, or from being discouraged by some severe 

 criticisms on what he had already accomplished, never executed 

 his intention, to w^ite the miscellaneous history of Scotland in all 

 its branches. He answered some of the attacks made on his work 

 in " Vindicice ScoticB illiistratce," annexed to his " Miscellanea erii- 

 ditcE Antiquifatis," which were published in 1710, and reprinted, 

 with all his folio works except the " Scotia illustrata," in 1739- 



With regard to the Testaccological part of the Prodromus, it 

 is concise and obscure, and illustrated only by two plates: the 

 system is founded partly on the principles of Lister, and partly on 

 those of Buonanni. 



But this was not the only treatise of Sibbald on the subject of 

 shells, for he was the author also of a work entitled " Nantilogia ; 

 sive Exercitatio philosophica de Nautilis aliisque Conchi/liis navigcra 



VOL. VII. u SimUitudiiic 



