120 D)-. Matox's oihI Mr. Rackett's 



science itself could obtain so valuable a register from the hands 

 of its illustrious reformer, we may be allowed to express '»,ir 

 . wonder at a similar history of authors not having been executed, 

 as an aid to all other departments of natural histor3\ 



It is now some years that the writers of this paper have devoted 

 much attention to the study of the Testacea ; and in preparing a 

 systematic catalogue and description of such species as inhabit 

 the British islands, they had much reason to lament being un- 

 provided with any pi'ofessed and complete histor}^ of this branch 

 of zoology, to assist them in collecting synonyms and comparing 

 figures and descriptions. Excepting the Fundamenta Testacco- 

 log-'ia, contained in the Amwnitates Acadcmiccc, there is no work 

 that exhibits the progress of the science, or treats of the merits of 

 writers, at all in a satisfactory manner. In order to supply this 

 defect, so far at least as our own means of research have ex- 

 tended, and Avith a view to some explanation of the references 

 which wc may have occasion to employ in a future paper, the fol- 

 lowing sketches are submitted to tlie Linnean Society. AVith 

 regard to the order of them, the chronological has appeared to 

 us to be the most eligible ; but, as a methodical classification of 

 authors may also be useful, subjoined to the historical part of 

 this paper is a list of their names and works, arranged according 

 to the subjects of which they treat. We have omitted, however, 

 mere catalogisfs, and such authors as have treated of the Tes- 

 tacea only in a casual manner, conceiving that an enumeration of 

 such performances would protract this paper to an undue length, 

 without adding any thing particularly curious or important to 

 the history of the science. If several authors of a higher order 

 have not been inserted, it is either because the}' are not accessi- 

 ble to the generality of our countrymen, or because they have 

 copied others too nearly to be allowed the merit of originality. 



With 



