186 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxiii. 



as in the later issues, for the most part, but slightl}' differently dis- 

 tributed. On page ,S, paragraph 2, after ''South Seas,'^ is added 

 "comprising in all a])out 170 different species. The whole of which 

 will be contained in four volumes, each volume exhibiting lo shells or 

 80 figures.^' The later issues have only "The whole of wliich will be 

 comprised in two volumes." 



The Henderson copy, p. 8, footnote, asks that "" correct copies of 

 these" (i. e., drawings of unique shells for use in the work) ma}^ be 

 sent to the author b}' "Christmas, 1785," in order to enricli the suite 

 of these particular shells in this repository. This n 'te, or a part of it, 

 appears on page 6 of the quarto. Page '■li^ in the Henderson copy ends 

 the text. Then follows the "Explanatory Table,"' worded as in the 

 quarto, but engraved on a somewhat larger plate. The tigures of shells 

 follow, but, while they are the same species as in the quarto, they are 

 in a few cases differently placed on the sheet, and the space inclosed by 

 the neat-lines is larger. 



Under the sheet of the Explanatory Table is inserted an octavo 

 sheet of two pages, one English and one French, headed "Observa- 

 tions on the Explanatory Table." This sheet has not been seen in any 

 other copy, but contains nothing of importance. It is chieffy devoted 

 to remarks on the shells ffgured on plates 2, 11, 20, and 21. 



The second forty plates forming "Volume II" have a copy of the 

 1787 circular inserted after the fly leaf, together with a note (with no 

 headline), as follows: "As the four first volumes of this undertaking | 

 form of themselves a distinct work and as such | may be preferred by 

 some Persons: an additional | Title page is therefore added for such 

 Purpose, leaving the other title page to be removed at \ the Discretion 

 of the Purchasers." 



There is the same engraved title as for Volume I (first forty plates), 

 no text, explanatory table the same as in the quarto. 



The following differences are noted between the Henderson copy of 

 the plates and the plates of the quarto: 



Plate 13 has two views of shell. There is only one view in the quarto. 



Plates 57 and 59; same remark. 



Plates 61 and 68, the figures are side by side. In the quarto (owdng 

 to the smaller pageO they are placed diagonally. 



All the other plates, except in regard to the neat-line, agree exactly 

 with those of the quarto. 



Mr. Chai'les Hedley, of the Australian Museum, informed me that 

 they possess a complete copy with all the plates and also copies of the 

 publisher's circular in octavo form, with French and English text for 

 the issues of 1781 and 1786. These circulars are now known for 1784, 

 1786, and 1787. Mr. Hedley, with the concurrence of the Museum 

 authorities, was kind enough to send me photographs of the circulars 

 and also of the " Explanatory Tables" belonging to Volumes III and 



