Hi . CATALOGUE OF THE EECENT FORAMrNTFEKA OF 



1862, has given a basis for the methodical study of the group 

 before wanting to British naturalists. 



Previous to the appearance of Professor Williamson's Mono- 

 graph, the principal notices we have of the Poraminifera are 

 contained in the works of the earlier conchological writers, by 

 whom they were regarded as minute species of Mollusca. View- 

 ing them in this light, "Walker and Jacobs in 1784, and Montagu in 

 1803-1808, described and figured a considerable number of British 

 forms, and although their descriptions are necessarily imperfect 

 from defective knowledge of the nature of the animals inhabiting 

 the shells, there is little or no difficulty in identifying the species 

 which came under their observation. Subsequent writers on the 

 Mollusca were content with resorting to the works of the authors 

 just named for their information respecting the minuter shells, 

 and we have consequently, for many years, no original matter of 

 importance in connection with them, resulting from the labours 

 of conchologists in our own country. On the continent, however, 

 important additions were made during this period to the history 

 of the group, chiefly from the researches of two Prench naturalists. 



In 1826, M. Alcide D'Orbigny proposed a new classification of 

 the Mollusca, in which "minute chambered shells" were sepa- 

 rated and treated as a distinct " Order," with the title " Foramini- 

 feres," a name which has kept its place, notwithstanding other 

 terms have from time to time beeD proposed, and is still used to 

 designate the Order. Although this arrangement of the Mollusca 

 has not been adopted by scientific men, and his appreciation of 

 the characters of the Poraminifera was founded in error, it must 

 be allowed that the importance which became attached to them, 

 from the mere fact of their separation into a distinct group, was 

 one great cause of their subsequent closer study. M. D'Orbigny 

 devoted himself almost exclusively to their investigation, and the 

 numerous monographs which proceeded from his pen during the 

 succeeding twenty years are sufficient evidence of the extent and 

 diligence of his labours. 



Whilst D'Orbigny was thus engaged in working systematically 

 on the organisms included in his newly founded group, a fellow- 

 countryman, M. Dujardin, was with equal zeal studying their 



