CONCHOLOGY. 



being smooth and without tubercles or spires It has also 

 a distant resemblance to the Cymbium genus, by the rounded 

 and mamillary form of the Apex, or summit, but the spire, 

 in this case, is not involved or covered over by the involu* 

 tion of the cheek. An immense varieiy of this genus of 

 shells have lately been discovered in the regions of New 

 Holland, and the adjacent coasts, agreeing in the general 

 forms, as the Voluta Nivalis, Voluta Magnifica, Voluta 

 Aurantia, &c. with several minuter species hitherto unde- 

 scribed. These investigations have fortunately tended, by 

 exciting the surprize of naturalists, to lead to a more exact 

 and accurate arrangement of the conchological system of 

 the moderns. The great Linnaeus had not either the time 

 or opportunities to illustrate sufficiently the necessary dis- 

 tinctions and analogies incidental to this numerous class of 

 animals; the scientific world may therefore consider them- 

 selves as much indebted to the reform which has been 

 effected in this part of the science, by the modern French 

 writers, particularly Monsieur Bruguiere and Lamarck, 

 whose system is far more perfect and complete, although by 

 no means opposite to that of the great Linnjetjs. Indeed 

 it was high time that the darkness which enveloped this 

 branch of natural knowledge, should be removed, and the 

 whole subject presented in a more clear and consistent 

 form. 



