932 MOLLUSCA. 
porcelain, with a label attached, intimating its name, and 
the place from whence it was obtained. In this manner, 
both univalves and bivalves may be conveniently disposed. 
But as many of the former are very small in size, it is often 
necessary to fix them on pieces of card, that they may be 
preserved, and rendered easier of inspection. When neigh- 
bouring species are thus brought together, they can be easily 
examined with a lens. 
About the end of the sixteenth century, many individuals 
began to form collections of testaceous bodies. The first 
museum of this kind, of any consequence, was begun by 
Benedict Ceruto, and afterwards augmented by Calceolari. 
An account of the specimens contained in it was published 
by Olivi, in 1585, and, in 1622, Chiocco published plates of 
the shells. After this period, in proportion as collections of 
testaceous bodies became numerous, various works on shells 
made their appearance. These were not published for any 
scientific object, but merely to teach collectors the names 
of the different specimens in their museums. As works of 
this sort, we may mention the Historia Naturalis of John- 
ston; the Gazophylacium Nature of Petiver; the Amboin- 
she Rariteitkamer of Rumphius; and the Wondertoonel der 
Nature of Vincent. To this list we might add many mo- 
dern works, which are termed Systems of Conchology. 
From the labours of this class of conchologists the science 
has derived many important advantages. A taste for the 
study has been widely extended ; the shells of distant coun- 
tries and shores have been brought together; and numerous 
engravings of these bodies have been published. In this 
manner the labours of the man of science have been greatly 
facilitated, and our knowledge of nature enlarged. 
The formation of a collection of shells is absolutely ne- 
