PREFACE. | 



the late Mr. Sower by) have been executed under the 

 immediate inspection of the Author, and every attention 

 paid to make the figures as accurate as possible. To 

 accomplish this purpose recourse has always been had to 

 the shells whenever they could be procured, so that the 

 figures are for the most part original. And here the Au- 

 thor has great pleasure in acknowledging his obligation 

 to Mrs. Mawe, Mr. J. and Mr. G. B. Sowerby, who 

 with their usual liberality have allowed him the free use 

 of their extensive collections towards the completion of 

 his task. 



Each page of the Index is divided into five columns. 

 The first contains the Linnean names : the second, a 

 reference to the page in Gmelin's enlarged edition of the 

 Sy sterna Nature, where the descriptions of such shells 

 as were noticed by that editor will be found. The En- 

 glish names occupy the third column : the fourth refers to 

 some of the principal authors whose figures have an esta- 

 blished reputation ; and in the fifth division will be seen 

 the name of the place where every shell is to be found. 



The figures of Montagu and Donovan have been con- 

 stantly quoted for the British shells, and where the species 

 is confined to Britain, the word alone is mentioned ; but 

 where it occurs also in other parts of the world, it is de- 



