10*2 On the Land and Fresh Water Mollusca 



work above alluded to. The increasing taste for natural history 

 now abroad warrants the conclusion that such a publication would 

 be favourably received, and the materials for it might be readi- 

 ly obtained. In the absence of such a work, it has occurred to 

 me that this Magazine may afford a medium for recording a few 

 observations, made with the view of ascertaining, as far as the pre- 

 sent state of our knowledge admits, what are the species of land and 

 fresh water Mollusca really indigenous to these islands. I am far 

 from thinking that I have accomplished this completely ; but I shall 

 be satisfied if, by clearing away some difficulties, a ground-work shall 

 be laid for others to pursue the investigation with success. It is 

 not by the contributions of one but of many that complete informa- 

 tion is at length to be obtained. In making this attempt, it has 

 been found necessary to discard many species that have hitherto 

 swelled our catalogues. Possibly some of these may be British : 

 all we can say at present is, that there is not sufficient proof to war- 

 rant our considering them as natives. As to those Mollusca whose 

 claims to rank as species have been a matter of dispute among na- 

 turalists, a few of these will certainly be found in the present list, 

 but they have been generally spoken of with hesitation, in order to 

 induce persons favourably situated for the purpose to make further 

 observations upon them. 



It may be necessary to say something concerning the names that 

 have been adopted in the following catalogue. So great is the mul- 

 tiplication of synonyms in this department of natural history, that 

 it has become a difficult matter to decide, in each case, which name 

 ought to be adopted. If we look into three of our latest publica- 

 tions treating of molluscous animals, those, namely, of Fleming, 

 Jeffreys, and Turton, we shall find that, in many instances, the same 

 species has a different name in each. Helix lackhamenris of Mon- 

 tagu, for instance, is called by Dr Fleming Bulimus lackhamensis, 

 by Mr Jeffreys Bulimus Montacuti, and by Dr Turton Bulimus 

 montanus. Turbo tridens of Montagu is Azeca tridens of Fleming, 

 Carychium politum of Jeffreys, afterwards changed in his supple- 

 ment to Cionella Goodalli, and Azeca Matoni of Turton. Should 

 we wish to trace this species in continental works, we shall find it 

 to be the Helix (Cochlodonta) Goodalli of Ferussac, Pupa Menc- 

 keana of Pfeiffer, and Pupa Goodalli of Michaud. Thus are we lost 

 in a labyrinth of names, from which it is high time that we should 

 make an attempt to extricate ourselves. It will be said, and is in- 

 deed true, that naturalists (with the exception of a few injudicious 

 reformers) are pretty well agreed as to the rule by which the choice 

 of a name is to be governed, — namely, priority of publication. This 



