332 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



contiimecl in some of the following parts." The weekly issue soon 

 broke down, and is no guide to the dates. 



Gray's original circular (Gray's Tracts on MoUusca, viii (4) ) states 

 that of his " Descriptive Catalogue of Shells " part 1 will be published 

 on 1st of July (1832), and "contemporaneously with this work will 

 appear Coloured figures of the hitherto unfigured shells described in 

 Mr. Gray's Descriptive Catalogue, by George B. Sowerby, junr." 



The reason of the breach between Sowerby and Gray may be 

 inferred from a letter inserted in this circular, dated 15th September, 

 1832, in which G. B, Sowerby says : "I am glad you have sent me 

 some copies of your three first half sheets [i.e. 24 pp.], but I must 

 see you again on the subject, for it is so incorrectly printed that 

 I cannot resolve to publish it." 



The issue of " The Conchological Illustrations," therefore, would 

 seem to have begun about October, 1832, and each part was to have 

 had a list of contents printed on small paper, which in the 1841 

 "Directions to Binder" were ordered to be cancelled, as they were 

 reprinted in "Part 200." 



Such, then, is the history of these two works, one of which, Gray's 

 "Descriptive Catalogue ol: Shells," exists onh^ as proof-sheets, and 

 was never published; the other, "The Conchological Illustrations," 

 being issued in 200 parts between 1832 and 1841. 



Owing to the peculiar method of issue of " The Conchological 

 Illustrations" it is extremely difiicult to provide a complete collation, 

 as most copies have been bound up in accordance with instructions 

 and the clues [lists of contents] destroyed. But the Eadcliffe Library 

 copy has been bound in sequence of numbers as issued, and 

 Mr. H. 0. I^. Shaw has kindly contributed to your journal his 

 researches in the following communication. 



