194 MELVILL: BRITISH PIONEERS IN CONCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 



Lister also published nearly forty papers in the Philosophical 

 Transactions. In 1694 appeared his " Exercitatio Anatomica de 

 Cochleis Maxime' Terrestribus et Limacibus," and in the fol- 

 lowing year (1695) " Exercitatio altera de Buccinis fluviatilibus et 

 marinis," and in 1696 "Exercitatio Anatomica tertia Conchyli- 

 orum bivalvium." In 1 709 Lister was made one of the physicians 

 to Queen Anne, and died three years after receiving the appoint- 

 ment, in 1 712, at the age of 74. 



Early in the eighteenth century appeared Leigh's " History 

 of Lancashire," in which mention is made of a few British 

 shells. Petiver, also, a most distinguished Naturalist, wrote 

 largely on the same subject in " Philosophical Transactions," 

 flourishing about the year 1692. He was an Apothecary of 

 Aldersgate, and on his death in 17 16, bequeathed his Museum 

 to Sir Henry Sloane. 



The mention of this latter, the venerated founder of the 

 British Museum, and possessor of the largest collection of 

 Natural History specimens ever brought together, must no longer 

 be delayed. He was born in 1660, and died in January loth, 1753, 

 at the age of 92. His principal work was the " Natural History of 

 Jamaica," in which the Botany and Zoology of that island are 

 treated of exhaustively, considerable attention being paid to the 

 molluscs. Other West Indian islands were also visited by him. 

 A few years later Dr. P. Browne published a similar work, en- 

 titled " The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica" (1756). 



About this time also flourished Sir Ashton Lever, of 

 Alkrington Hall, near Middleton, Lancashire, son of Sir D'Arcy 

 Lever. His JMuseuiii of Natural History was as famous through- 

 out the Northern Counties as that of Sir Henry Sloane in 

 London. 



His collections were subsequently removed to London, and 

 were exhibited in Leicester Square, having cost him ;^3o,ooo in 

 formation. At his death in 1785, disposed of by public auction, 

 they were purchased by Mr. Parkinson, who erected a suitable 

 building for them near Blackfriars Bridge, on the Surrey side of 

 the Thames. 



J.C., vi., Apr., 1890, 



