formed nothing- in vain, these creatures, so low in the scale of 

 being-, must have particular uses allotted them in the plan 

 of creation. 



Conchology has ever been a favourite pursuit, from the 

 beauty and elegant structiu-e of shells, and the ease with which 

 they can be preserved. 



When our " Elements of Conchology " were first penned and 

 published — seventeen years ago — we were young both in years 

 and science ; we then held the opinions and arrangements of 

 Linnaeus as sacred ; and consequently dreaded tlie new sys- 

 tems, and widely developed Niews of the French scliool of 

 Natural History, which threatened to overturn the system 

 that had been the delight of our youthful studies. 



Since that period, our ideas have gradually expanded, and a 

 conviction of the superior classification of the French School has 

 settled in our mind. This was not, however, effected of a sud- 

 den, but brought about as our investigations increased: besides, 

 we had the benefit of frequent communings with the talented and 

 gifted Baron Cuviei', Geoffroy St Hilau'e, Latreille, Blain- 

 ville, and Lamarck, the father of modern Concholog-y, whose 

 method is the basis of the following pages; only that we 

 hav^e pursued the descending scale, and enlarged by the addi- 

 tional genera of some other testaceologists, as well as our 

 own. 



The arrangement of Lamarck is strictly presen-ed in the 

 orders and families, and the new genera have been placed as 

 nearly as possible in the situations which they would naturally 

 occupy in his system. 



The Linnean arrangement was long followed as the best, 

 and is still adopted by many naturalists. Since his time, how- . 

 ever, tlie immense accumulation of new species, with charac- 

 ters which are likewise new, renders the task of classifying 

 them according to his method, extremely difficult, if not im- 

 practicable. We have, nevertheless, given his an-angement, 

 as well as that of the modern school, leaving it to tlie decision 

 of the student which he will adopt. 



