150 Dr. Maton's and Mr. Rackett's 



able writers of that day. Rumphius himself informs us in his 

 preface to the " Amboimhe Rariteitkamer," that a shell described 

 in this work cost no less than 500 Dutch florins. 



The book bearing this title contains a description, in the Dutch 

 language, of the more remarkable natural productions of Am- 

 boyna preserved in the museum of Rumphius, which are figured 

 in sixty plates, thirty-three of these containing solely shells. The 

 figures were designed by Madame Sybille Merian, so well known 

 by her work on the Surinam insects : they are, in general, cor- 

 rect; but there is a harshness in the engraving which takes off 

 considerably from the beauty of many of the subjects. The de- 

 scription was written by M. Schein Voet, who adopted no very 

 regular method ; nor does he appear to have been extensively 

 conversant with preceding Testaceological authors. There was a 

 second edition of the work in 1741; and, indeed, an intermediate 

 publication of the plates by themselves took place, without any 

 letter-press, except a table of Latin, Dutch, and Malabar names. 

 This last-mentioned edition is in more general use than either of 

 the other two. 



The great service rendered to science by the industry and libe- 

 rality of Rumphius, caused him to be received as a member into 

 most of the learned societies of Europe : in that of the Natures 

 Curiosorum of Germany he obtained the appellation of Plinius 

 Indicus, which was richly merited by the vast accession to our 

 knowledge of the productions of that part of the world made by 

 his own researches, and displayed in his magnificent publications. 

 In the Ephemerides- of the illustrious academy just mentioned ap- 

 pear two dissertations on Testaceological subjects from the pen 

 of Rumphius: the first, " de Ova Marino, Porce/Ianis, sen Conchis 

 venereis," is illustrated by very good figures of Bulla Ovum and 

 Cypraa Arabka; and the second, " de Nautilo remigante et vetiji- 



cante," 



