232 MOLLUSCA. 



porcelain, with a label attached, intimating its name, and 

 the place from whence it was obtained. In this manner, 

 both univalves and bivalves may be conveniently disposed. 

 But as many of the former are very small in size, it is often 

 necessary to fix them on pieces of card, that they may be 

 preserved, and rendered easier of inspection. When neigh- 

 bouring species are thus brought together, they can be easily 

 examined with a lens. 



About the end of the sixteenth century, many individuals 

 began to form collections of testaceous bodies. The first 

 museum of this kind, of any consequence, was begun by 

 Benedict Ceruto, and afterwards augmented by Calceolari. 

 An account of the specimens contained in it w r as published 

 by Olivi, in 1585, and, in 1622, Chiocco published plates of 

 the shells. After this period, in proportion as collections of 

 testaceous bodies became numerous, various works on shells 

 made their appearance. These were not published for any 

 scientific object, but merely to teach collectors the names 

 of the different specimens in their museums. As works of 

 this sort, we may mention the Historia Naturalis of John- 

 ston ; the Gazophylacium Naturce of Petiver ; the Amboin- 

 she Rariteitkamer of Rumphius ; and the Wondertoonel der 

 Nature of Vincent. To this list we might add many mo- 

 dern works, which are termed Systems of Conchology.' 



From the labours of this class of conchologists the science 

 has derived many important advantages. A taste for the 

 study has been widely extended ; the shells of distant coun- 

 tries and shores have been brought together ; and numerous 

 engravings of these bodies have been published. In this 

 manner the labours of the man of science have been greatly 

 facilitated, and our knowledge of nature enlarged. 

 . The formation of a collection of shells is absolutely ne- 



