XV 



As foon, iliercfore, as we were informed from the 

 bell authority, that this fcheme was abandoncdj (which 

 v:e fiiould have the more regretted, if it had been intend- 

 ed to inchide the whole britifh teflacea) we again took 

 tlie refolution of giving our difcoveries to the public in a 

 fyflematical arrangement, which fhould include fliells of 

 every defcription, found witliin the ifland of Great 

 Britain, and its circumfluent feas; the refult of which, 

 is the following iheets, in which no pains have been 

 fpared either in colleSing the fynonyma of authors, or 

 in pointing out the miftakes into which they may have 

 fallen. By thus confulting the various writers referred 

 to, the fynonymsare founded upon Uriel perfonal invefli- 

 gation, and not copied from others; a circumftance too 

 frequently the caufe of unnecefTary extenhon of fpecies, 

 and the perplexity of fcience. 



We do not pretend to afifert that no errors are to be 

 found in this work, on the contrary, it would be furpri- 

 fing if there were not many on a fubjetl fo intricate and 

 abftrufe; it muft however be recollefted, that in many 

 inftances where individuals have been defcribed in a very 

 laconic manner, reference to fuch obje6ls can only de- 

 pend on individual opinion; for we may venture to af- 

 firm, that fcarce two conchologifts will be found to a- 



c grcc, 



