NO. 1565. OX MARTYX'S UNIVERSAL CONCHOLOGIST—DALL. 187 



IV, otherwise the third and fourth batches of -iO plates each. 1 have 

 already called attention to the confusion caused by the publisher some- 

 times referring- to 40 and at other times to SO plates as a volume. 

 The explanatory tables are marked Vol. I, II, III, and IV, respec- 

 tivelv. I reproduce the Eng-lish page of the earliest prospectus known 

 to me, that dated ITl-i'l. 



The words "This day is published" should not l)e taken literally, 

 since they occur on each of the circulars. They simply mean that the 

 books are on sale at the time of distribution of the circular, even when 

 first issued earlier. The subsequent circulars diti'er ])ut little in word- 

 ing-. They have the heading "Academy for Painting of Natural 

 History," which is wanting on the circular of 1784. 



For condition V of the 1784 circular that of 1786 has "That the sub- 

 sequent volume, which is alread}" in great part finished, shall be pub- 

 lished some time in the spring, 1787." 



In the circular of 1787, after the line "This day is published," is 

 inserted "(in two volumes compleat);" the paragraph numbered V in 

 1786 is omitted, and paragraph VI becomes V, while there is no para- 

 graph VI. 



The prices cited also vary. In 1786 the price is raised to "nine 

 guineas each volume, in a rich extra binding; and ten guineas and a 

 half in morocco. Unbound, seven guineas and a half. An edition 

 of the above Work, elegantly bound in small Folio, may be had at 

 tive guineas and a half each volume." The same prices were asked in 

 1787. 



In 1784 the author was situated at "26 King-Street, Covent-Garden," 

 but in 1786 and 1787 the circulars place him at " 16 Great Marlborough- 

 Street." 



The data above given prove conclusively that the first eighty plates 

 appeared in 1784, the third forty in 1TS6, and the work was completed 

 probably in the spring of 1787. Also that the date on the title-pages 

 was changed at least twice, copies existing- dated 1784, 1787, and 1789; 

 and that a separate title-page was prepared for the first four volumes 

 of South Sea shells Avhen it became impossible to carry out the author's 

 plan of issuing a general iconography. 



The photographs of the " Explanator}^ Tables " of Volumes III and 

 IV show such discrepancies between Chenu's "reprint" and the text 

 it purports to represent that the suspicion arises that the original 

 ta1)le ma}" have been submitted to some revision and additions in a 

 later issue; otherwise it seems impossible to account forChenu giving 

 in each case for these two volumes the generic name Cardiuni^ when 

 the original reads Cochlea^ and specific names to species for which no 

 specific name had been engraved in the compartment of the table 

 intended to hold one. 



