2 C O N C H O L O G Y. 



mankind ; they rather appear to be a link 

 of that wife and provident chain of na- 

 ture, by which each part is connefted 

 with the whole, and the feeming voids 

 or breaks between the ranks of animals 

 is with infinite wifdorn filled up. 



This peculiar branch of the Hiftory of 

 Nature, I (hall call Conchology ^. It 

 comprehends the ftudy of all animals 

 that are teftaceous, or have fliell co- 

 verings ; not only thofe of the Sea, but 

 alfo thofe of the Rivers and Land. 



The definition of a Shell I make as 

 follows. A kind of ftone-like calcareous 

 covering or habitation, in which the 

 whole animal, otherwife quite naked or 

 flefliy, (for each part or limb is not par- 

 ticularly covered with this ftoney crufi:,) 

 lives included as in a houfe : whereas the 

 cruftaceous animals, as lobfters, crabs, &c. 

 (whofe cruft can bear no other definition 



* Many authors call it Conchyllolo^y, ■ 



' ' z than 



