106 DR. GOULD'S REPORT. April, 



timately connected with a knowledge of the nomenclature, sources, 

 and properties of these lower animals ; and thus, every fact regard- 

 ing them is, ultimately, of advantage to the community at large. 



I have, therefore, made it a point to compare every object which 

 I have observed with scientific descriptions and figures, where I 

 could find them, that I might verify or correct them ; or else to de- 

 scribe and figure them myself. The number of objects which have 

 come to hand has been so great, that in many of the families the cat- 

 alogue has been more than doubled, and in all greatly augmented, 

 within the few months since my commission was received. These 

 scientific details would of course be too dry to intei'est any but pro- 

 fessedly scientific men. But they have been collected with the hope 

 that when our labors shall end, they may be embodied, published, 

 and properly illustrated, as a contribution to science. 



There are some facts, however, connected with the objects of my 

 study, which are of interest to the citizens generally ; and to these 

 particular attention has been directed. The Lobster, Oyster, and 

 Clam trade, is an item of no inconsiderable importance in our statis- 

 tics. Numerous vessels and many hundred men are constantly em- 

 ployed in it. Measures have been taken to obtain an accurate state- 

 ment concerning this branch of industry ; but as an entire year has 

 not yet revolved, no complete view can at present be given. 



Attention has also been directed to the different kinds of Leeches 

 which are found in our waters, with the hope of aiding their intro- 

 duction in place of the foreign Leeches, which have become of such 

 extensive use among us, although commanding a high price. 



As I have been more particularly engaged in the study of the 

 Shells during the last year, I would subjoin the following list of spe- 

 cies which may now be added to the last catalogue published by the 

 State two years since, besides at least twenty species yet undeter- 

 mined ; and I may state that additions to the other classes have been 

 proportionally numerous. 



Above all, I am striving to collect a complete series of all the ob- 

 jects which can be preserved, so that they may all be viewed and 

 examined in a body. Such a collection I deem to be of great value, 

 and certainly demands much labor. 



