18 



The Mollusca of Vermont have, by the labors of 

 Prof. G. W. Benedict ajid Prof. C. B. Adams, been 

 pretty thoroughly examined, but hardly any attention 

 has been given to the other classes of our invertebrated 

 animals. There are, I believe, a few species of fresh 

 water Mollusks, in Lake Champlain, which have been 

 found nowhere else, and a considerable number of 

 species which are not found to the eastward of the 

 Green Mountains. One of these last, is the Limna3a 

 megasoma ; and the only known locality of this species 

 in Vermont is in Burlington, where they have some- 

 times been found plentifully in a few small creeks in 

 low stages of the water, but from which it is feared 

 they will soon be exterminated by the drying up of the 

 creeks, in consequence of their having become exposed 

 to the sun and winds by the removal of the forest trees 

 and shrubbery which protected them. 



Having given this brief and imperfect sketch of the 

 present condition of natural histoiy in Vermont, I pro- 

 ceed to a few general remarks respecting the cultiva- 

 tion of natural history in countiy places. One very 

 important advantage for the cultivation of natural his- 

 tory in a new country, during its transformation from 

 dense and unbroken forests to cleared and cultivated 

 farms, arises from the opportunity it affords for observing 

 the original distribution of plants and animals, and not- 

 ing the manner in which that distribution is affected in 

 consequence of the changes wrought by human agency. 

 Even within the narrow limits of Vermont, the chan- 



albus, C. artedi, Hyodon clodalus, Lepisosteus oxyurus, Amia 

 calva, Esox estor, E. nobilior, Catystomus cyprinus, Hydrargara 

 fusca, Cottus gobioides, Corvina ascula, Pimelodus nicricaus, An- 

 guilla vulgaris, and Acipenser rubicundus. 



