308 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE MALA.COLOGICA.L SOCIETY. 



Bookseller in the Strand, | and Mr. Hiimplirey, Dealer in Sheila, and 

 other Natural Curiosities, in | St. Martiii's-Lane, near Chariiig-Cross." 



On the wrapper of No. I is written, "Presented by the Editors 

 Jan. 18, 1771," and on No. Ill, " Presented by the Editors, June 14, 

 1771." 



As recorded by Sherborn tliere are 26 pages of letterpress, 

 accompanied by 12 plates; the letterpress only gives the descriptions 

 of the shells on the first four plates, the first figure of the fifth, and 

 commencing on the second figure. This is a copy with coloured 

 figures, and I see that three draughtsmen were employed in the 

 preparation of these dozen plates : plates i, ii, iii, iv, and vi are 

 signed "I. Wicksteed, Junr. del."; plates v and vii are signed by 

 " W. Humphrey" ; and plates viii-xii by " P. Brown". They were 

 all engraved on copper by P. Mazell, who seems to have stood alone 

 in this art about this time. 



Now, from the wrapper alone the "Collector" and " Mr. Humphrey, 

 Dealer in Shells ", would seem to be different entities. Confirmation 

 is apparent from a perusal of the Preface, which reads : — 



"Tlie Editor begs Leave to acijuaint the Curious, that it is 

 impossible to fix the Extent of his woik, as it will depend on the 

 Quantity of new Species that occur: but he assures them, that he 

 shall neitlier spare Expense, or be wanting in an unwearied Applica- 

 tion to render it complete, and hopes that on the Publication of the 

 Numbers, they will judge of its Merits, and of its being more perfect 

 than any other book of Conchology hitherto offered to the Learned . . . 



" There now only remains to solicit of the Collectors an Access to 

 their Cabinets, to acquire the proper Opportunities of perfecting his 

 intended Plan ; and should any Ladies or Grentlemen possess any non- 

 descript Shells in their Collections, and chuse to have them engraved 

 and described, if they will honour the Editor to send them either to 

 the Booksellers Messrs. White and Elmdeii, or to Mr. Humphrey, 

 to be conveyed to him, he will return them safe, and gratefully 

 acknowledge the Favour, by adding to the Description the Collector's 

 Name (if permitted) to whom he is obliged." 



From tliis extract the conclusion would be that " the Editor" and 

 "Mr. Humphrey" were different personages. Judging the work 

 alone, from a knowledge of Da Costa's known work and from 

 Humphrey's own plea of ignorance, I should unhesitatingly ascribe it 

 to the former, and not to the latter. 



I would simply record the following facts : Chemnitz, in the Neues 

 Syst. Conch. Cab., vol. xi, published in 1795, quotes the book as 

 (p. 181) "Da Costa, Conchologv or Natural History of Shells"; 

 (p. 184) "Da Costa Conchol"; (p."l85) "Da Costa Conchology "; and 

 on pp. 186-8. I would note that recently, since Chemnitz's work, 

 as above, has been rejected as non-binominal, the names from this 

 eleventh volume have been accepted ; but this volume is certainly as 

 polynominal in its nomenclature as the others, the apparent regularity 

 of binoininals })eing superficial : thus, of twenty-three species of 

 Murex listed, eleven only consist of two words ; of nine species of 

 Mytilus four are binominals, five are not. If Tellina or VenuB were 



