22G Zoological Soeiety. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



August 11, 1840.— R. C. Griffith, Esq., in the Chair. 



A paper entitled " Description of Shells collected and brought to 

 this country by Hugh Cuming, Esq.," by W. J. Broderip, Esq., 

 F.R.S., etc., was read. 



" Mr. Cuming," observes the author, " the fruits of whose western 

 voyage are so well known, left England on the 26th of February, 

 1836 : he proceeded to the Philippine Islands, by the permission of 

 the Queen Regent of Spain, and aided by powerful recommendations 

 from her government, which opened to him the interior of the islands, 

 and caused him to be received with a noble hospitality, equalled only 

 by the warm interest which facilitated his pursuits wherever he ar- 

 rived and made himself known. 



" Mr. Cuming visited the whole group. His longest stay was in 

 the island of Luzon, fifteen provinces of which were well ransacked 

 by him. In the islands Mindoro, Negros, Panay, Siquijod, Zebu, 

 Bohol, Camiguing, Mindanao, Leyte, Samar, Capul, Ticao, Masbate, 

 Burias, Temple, Marinduque, Maracavan, and Ramblon, he reaped 

 a fine harvest. He left the Philippines in November, 1839, proceeded 

 thence to Sincapore and Malacca, and returned to England in June, 

 1840, bringing with him, besides the living animals which he has 

 liberally presented to this Societ)', a gi'and collection of zoological 

 and botanical specimens, including more than three thousand si^ecies 

 and varieties of shells, the greater part of which appear to be new 

 to science, and among them are several new genera. The smaller 

 islands were particularly rich in the pulmoniferous moUusca, which 

 were found by Mr. Cuming principally in deep forests. We com- 

 mence a notice of the labours of this active and zealous collector, 

 with an attempt to describe a few of these terrestrial species. Mr. 

 G. B. Sowerby, who liberally gives up his valuable time to assist in 

 laj'ing before the public the novelties of this part of the collection, 

 will also begin his share of the task, by describing another branch of 

 the same numerous family ; and it is intended to submit descriptions 

 to the Society from time to time till the whole of Mr. Cuming's 

 stores are exhausted. 



" Before, however, we commence our task, I must, in justice to 

 him who has placed the materials in our hands, observe, that, to say 

 nothing of the variety of new forms which he has been the means of 

 bringing to hght, those who cultivate this branch of zoology so 

 highly interesting to the geologist, as well as the physiologist, owe 

 him a large debt of gratitude, for information on a point of no small 

 zoological importance. It is not very long since, that the localities 

 ascribed to shells could in very few instances be depended upon. 

 The cupidity of dealers, some years ago, not unfrequently prompted 

 them wilfully to deceive those who gave extravagant prices for new 

 shells on this point, and carelessness was generally the order of the 

 day. Mr. Cuming, by his accurate notes, and the open publication 

 of the places where every one of the multitudinous species and va- 

 rieties collected by liim was found, has mainly assisted in making a 



