wb F O 
PREFARATORY REMARKS. 
THE present Catalogue is the result of a wish long enter- 
tained by me to alter and remedy, on the first opportunity, 
the negligent arrangement and generally unsatisfactory 
condition of the recent Shells in the Museum of the Asiatic 
Society of Bengal, and to introduce a better arrangement 
into this important department, without which the collection 
can offer but slight attractions to the general visitor, or 
instruction to the student, and with the aid and approbation 
of the President and Secretary I have prepared for publica- 
tion a Catalogue of them, which may assist the student, 
without aiming, however, at giving more than brief informa- 
tion regarding Distribution, Synonymy, &¢c.—leaving those 
desirous of fuller information on the subject to refer to 
standard works, : 
Whilst hoping that the present Catalogue will meet a want 
much felt at present, I trust that the above remarks as to its 
scope may divert severe criticism from the shortcomings of 
the work either as respects execution or extent. 
In the general arrangement of the Catalogue I have 
followed the excellent little Manual of Conchology, by 
Woodward, but in particular families (Helicide, Cyclostonide, 
and Auriculide) I have adhered to the arrangement adopted 
by Pfeiffer in his monographs of those families, and from the 
