4300 Molhisks. 



this is the source of the phosphoric light, although I have not been able to trace the 

 substance, at least not in an aggregate form, beyond the eyes, so as to account for the 

 extent backwards of the phosphorescence." 



A List of the Mollusca hitherto found in the Province of Moray and 

 in the Moray Firth.* By the Rev. George Gordon. 



To the mere general reader, " lists " of animals low in the zoological 

 scale are, both in matter and manner, peculiarly repulsive, and have 

 encouraged the notion of some that Natural History was at best but 

 the knowledge of names. When such catalogues, however, are 

 pretty full, and when they are restricted to a well-defined district, the 

 following advantages may be adduced in their favour. They record 

 the progress of scientific discovery within their several localities ; 

 they inform the naturalist at a distance of the range of species ; they 

 enable the systematic writer to compile more fully, and to generalise 

 more accurately, than he could have done in their absence ; they 

 afford facilities for the exchange of specimens ; they prevent future 

 observers from falling into the too frequent error of assuming the credit 

 due to earlier discoverers ; and they form a nucleus, even when 

 meagre, around which the addition of another and yet another species 

 gives a far higher gratification than if there were no such guide to 

 mark the known from the hitherto unknown denizens of the particular 

 locality. But the readers of the ' Zoologist ' need no such apologetic 

 and preliminary statements in order that such lists may gain a share 

 of their attention. The naturalist, while he runs his eye along such 

 columns, feels many a pleasing suggestion to arise in his mind. In the 

 mere name of many a species he reads a little history. Its form or 

 sound calls up a thousand agreeable thoughts and recollections of 

 by-gone days, — of fond companions, — of early adventures by flood 

 and by field, — how, when, where, and with whom he first culled the 

 flower or gathered the shell, — how often, and the changing circum- 

 stances and scenes in which he has since met with it. Such and 

 many kindred associations recur ; and with an inward but exquisite 

 delight he fights, as it were, his battles over again. Moreover, as spe- 

 cial reasons for compiling and publishing these lists illustrative of the 

 Fauna of Moray, a degree of amor patrice is to be confessed, — a 



* In continuation of" The Fauna of Moray." See ' Zoologist," pp. 421, 502, 551, 

 3454, 3480, 3678, and 3781. 



