VJ INTRODUCTION. 



Having sailed to most parts of the 

 globe, I may say, from my own experi- 

 ence, that there is no station which af- 

 fords such facilities for collecting shells 

 and various subjects belonging to Na- 

 tural History, as that of commander or 

 officer of a ship, whether he please to 

 make it an amusement, or a traffic. 



Finding a sea-faring life hazardous 

 during the war, after a favorable voyage 

 I left off going to sea, and, with other 

 business, commenced collecting minerals 

 and shells: since which time, I may ven- 

 ture to assert, that the finest shells in the 

 modern cabinets of Europe have passed 



