HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



The Molluscs were Dr. Gould's favorite subject for study, and his attention was chiefly 

 given to them. Up to this time, few if any attempts had been made to give as complete a 

 zoological survey as practicable of any particular region of the United States. As regards 

 the Molluscs, the descriptions of Say, Conrad and others, pioneers in conchology, pertained 

 more to the Middle and Western States, than to New England. Their writings were frag- 

 mentary and scattered through the narratives of travels, journals of science, and even news- 

 papers. It was no small labor, therefore, to become acquainted, merely us a preparation 

 for his task, with the writings of his predecessors. To make his report as complete as 

 possible, and to ascertain what changes in the classification of Molluscs recent important 

 progress growing out of the study of them would indicate, he opened correspondence for 

 information and exchanges with European naturalists interested in the same branch of 

 study, who obligingly and courteously lent their aid, and out of this correspondence grew 

 up long continued friendships. 



The report fills a volume of nearly four hundred pages, illustrated by more than two 

 hundred figures skillfully drawn from nature by himself. " Every species described," he says, 

 "indeed almost 'every species mentioned, has passed under my own eye. The descriptions 

 of species previously known, have been written anew, partly that they be more minute in 

 particulars, and partly with the hope of using language somewhat less technical than is 

 ordinarily employed by scientific men." The number of species described was about two 

 hundred and seventy-five of Molluscs and nearly one hundred of Crustaceans and Radiates. 



As a contribution to zoological science, this report gave him an honorable name and an 

 eminent position among the naturalists of Europe and America, 



Dr. Gould edited the admirable Avork entitled " The Terrestrial Air-breathing Molluscs 

 of the United States," prepared, but left unfinished at the time of his death, by his intimate 

 friend, Dr. Amos Binney, formerly the respected president of this Society, and whose name 

 we hold in grateful remembrance, not only for his contributions to science, but for the 

 munificent bequest which fills so large a space on the shelves of our library. 



In 1848 he was associated with Prof. Agassiz in the preparation of the Principles of 

 Zoology. 



His largest and most important contribution to natural history was the description of the 

 shells of the United States Exploring Expedition. This was prepared under circumstances 

 somewhat embarassing. The collection was not made by himself, but by the late Capt. 

 Joseph P. Couthouy, well remembered as one of the most zealous and active members of this 

 Society. Capt. Couthouy had drawn up full notes on the external characters of the soft 

 parts, habits, geographical description, and other important points. Before the voyage 

 was completed he left, the expedition, but the notes and collections were sent to Washing, 

 ton. The former were unaccountably lost, and no trace of them was found. The collec- 

 tions, when they came into the hands of the Navy Department, were repacked by incom- 

 petent hands, the arrangement of them disturbed, labels in many cases lost, and the whole 

 thrown more or less into confusion. Dr. Gould was called upon to save this wreck, but in 

 accepting the task was obliged to submit to various arbitrary restrictions, and to leave 

 undone many things he deemed of much importance. 



The Otia Conchologica was the last of his printed volumes, but this was merely a 

 reprint in a condensed form of the descriptions of species of shells previously published 



