HISTORY OF ACHATINELLID^E. lv 



Dr. Wesley Newcomb, a physician-naturalist from New _ 

 York, collected extensively in Oahu about 1850-55 ; also in 

 Molokai and Lanai. His two chief papers, published in 

 1853-4, more than doubled the number of species known. 

 Newcomb was an excellent conchologist of the old school. 

 Most of the forms defined by him are still held to be valid 

 species or subspecies. He gave but little attention to small 

 or critical species, and his localities are given by districts or 

 islands. 



In 1854 Doctor Pfeiffer enumerated the species then known, 

 122 in number, and classified them in seven sections. The 

 systematic classification of the group began with this sketch. 

 Numerous species were described by Pfeiffer from this time 

 to 1859, partly from specimens sent by Newcomb, but mainly 

 from shells collected by Mr. Frick. Many of these species 

 have proved difficult to recognize, and a large proportion of 

 them are synonymous with the earlier species of Newcomb 

 and others. This was no doubt due to the lack of adequate 

 material. Mr. Frick evidently assorted his specimens 

 shrewdly, to get the greatest number of "species", and 

 many of the forms described by Dr. Pfeiffer were based upon 

 one or two specimens of unusual color or shape. He gave 

 no definite localities. 



Frick himself published only one paper "Notes on 

 Hawaiian terrestrial Conchology (Sandwich Islands' Monthly 

 Magazine, I, May, 1856, pp. 137-140). He mentioned only 

 one Achatinellid shell by name, Achatinella gigantea; but 

 numerous MS. names were given by him, some of which were 

 printed years later in Paetel's Catalogue, while others linger 

 only in the traditions of Island collectors. Among concho- 

 logists, Frick 's name is chiefly remembered for the difficul- 

 ties ensuing from his ignorant and unscientific methods. He 

 seems to have been an industrious collector. 



Mr. G. S. Emerson began collecting Achatinellse in the 

 period of Newcomb and Gulick, and some of his finds were 

 recorded by both of these authors. A variey of A. livida was 

 named for him. Some time later, Mr. J. S. and Rev. 0. P. 

 Emerson carried on the work begun by their father. W. T. 



