SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS. 



. 000 



Mr. William G. Binney, of Burlington, New Jersey, has been 

 for some time engaged in preparing, by request of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, a descriptive catalogue of the Limna;ida3 of North 

 America, as a portion of its proposed series of manuals of Ameri- 

 can Shells. 



With the view of obtaining all possible information relative to 

 the subject of Mr. Binney's researches, it has been considered 

 advisable to distribute proof copies of a Synopsis of the species 

 and their synonymes as they appear to Mr. Binney. The present 

 sheets, therefore, are sent out with this object, and any corrections 

 or additions will be thankfully received and properly acknowledged. 

 As a mere proof, which will undoubtedly receive many corrections, 

 these pages should not be quoted as authority, or referred to as a 

 published work, as was done with a similar proof of Mr. Binney's 

 paper on the Amnicolidae, Viviparidas, &c. 



Contributions of specimens, either as types or as collections, 

 serving to illustrate local faunas and variations of character, are 

 solicited; all such will be worked up with the large material 

 already in possession of the Institution, and due credit be given 

 in the lists of specimens. Species to which an asterisk is affixed 

 are particularly desired, they not being represented in the collection. 



In the forthcoming work there will be a descrijjtion and figure 

 of each species, and the original description and a fac-siinile of 

 the original figure of each s'ynonym. Full notes on the geogra- 

 phical distribution, synonymy and systematic arrangement will 

 also be given. 



JOSEPH HENRY, 



Secretary S. I. 



Smithsonian Ikstitutiun, May 4, 18G3. 



