PREFACE. XI 



Buchan. His contributions have been most ample and 

 important ; and among the objects transmitted by him I 

 have found several species hitherto unknown, many not 

 previously observed in Scotland, and several minute or 

 submicroscopic creatures which could hardly have been 

 expected on our northern shores. Mr. Gray, of Peter- 

 head, has sent me a great number of species collected in 

 the neighbourhood of that place. My daughter Isabella 

 has anxiously collected materials in part of Banffshire 

 and the adjoining portions of Aberdeenshire. Her 

 assistance has been most valuable, as has that of my 

 daughters Marion and Anne, who have supplied many 

 small species. My son John, at present on a natural- 

 history expedition to New Holland and Papua, has also 

 furnished a few. Mr. John Clark has collected for me 

 the shells of Banff, Macduff, and Portsoy. Mr. Alexander 

 Davidson, who obtained a class prize for the largest col- 

 lection of Mollusca, Mr. William Fergusson, Mr. William 

 Leslie, Mr. James Smith, Mr. James Duncan, Mr. William 

 Mitchell, Mr Alexander Beaton, Mr. William Robert- 

 son, and others of my pupils, have also contributed, 

 whether, in a very few instances, by presenting speci- 

 mens, or, generally, by bringing objects to be named. 

 To Dr. Dyce, of Aberdeen, I am indebted for permission 

 to examine two cuttle-fishes in his collection, and to 

 Andrew Murray, Esq., Advocate, for many kind offices. 

 I have especial pleasure also in acknowledging the friendly 

 aid of Mr. James Leslie, of Old Aberdeen, who, enthusi- 

 astically devoted to the study of Zoology, has accom- 

 panied me on many of my excursions, freely permitted 

 me to examine whatever objects he happened at any time 

 to procure, and supplied several species first found by 

 himself. But with all the assistance thus generally 

 afforded, I should not have been able to reduce my ob- 

 servations to the state in which they now appear, without 

 the further aid of a very distinguished naturalist, whose 

 collection of Mollusca has enabled me to compare some 

 of our shells with authentic specimens from other districts, 

 and whose library has supplied several important works 



