204 melvill: British pioneers In conchological science. 



essay 'On some recent and fossil shells from Canada.' This 

 eminent geologist, whilst naturally studying the fossil mollusca 

 more closely, found time to observe many of the recent species 

 in the course of his two expeditions to the United States. He 

 was born 1767, died 1849. 



In 1825 — ^1828 the Voyage to the Pacific and Behring's 

 Straits, performed by H.M.S. Blossom, took place. This was 

 under the command of Captain F. W. Beechey, and Lieutenant 

 (afterwards Sir Edward) Belcher assisted him in the collection 

 of the Mollusks. About thirty new species were described by 

 Messrs. Broderip and Sowerby in ' Zoological Journal,' vol. iv. 

 1829. Amongst these the most interesting undoubtedly is the 

 still rare Cardium belcheri (Brod. and Sowb.) of which three 

 specimens were taken in fifteen fathoms in the entrance of the 

 Gulf of California. The task of describing the bulk of the new 

 shells collected in this expedition was, however, undertaken by 

 Dr. J. E. Gray, who incorporated with them at the same time 

 several new species collected on the west coast of America by 

 the Rev. Mr. Hennah, Captain Lord Byron, Mr. Fryer, and 

 other Englishmen. 



It was in 1827 that Mr. Hugh Cuming set out on his first 

 great voyage of Conchological discovery. This most successful of 

 all collectors was born in February, 1791, at West Alvington, 

 nearKingsbridge, Devonshire. At first apprenticed to a sail maker, 

 he settled himself in this business at Valparaiso till 1827, when he 

 built himself a yacht and remained for three years exploring the 

 WestCoastof America. He took notes of his various dredgings, but 

 owing to his often exchanging specimens which were afterwards 

 insufficiently or erroneously labelled, much doubt and uncertain- 

 ty has of late years arisen as to his exact localities, this militating 

 against the value of his collections from a geographical point of 

 view. Whenever, for instance, he had a dead specimen, dredged 

 by himself, and had the subsequent opportunity of securing a 

 live and better example of what appeared the same species, he 



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



