INTRODUCTION. XXXV 



Murex and Buccinum, that constantly live at a 

 greater depth, and unless thrown by a storm, or 

 other accident, upon the coast, are only to be ob- 

 tained by dredging. 



There is another way of procuring shells, which, 

 from its singularity, will not readily be thought of 

 by collectors. It is to examine the stomachs of fish, 

 and water fowl ; by which means many perfect, and 

 some very rare shells have been found. Fabricius, 

 in his History of Greenland, assures us, that he 

 adopted this method with success, and that, in fish 

 particularly, he met with species that were unknown 

 on the northern coasts. It will be proper also to 

 examine the bottom of the lead, when within 

 soundings at sea, as foreign bodies sometimes adhere 

 to it. The sailors know when they- are in the mouth 

 of the Channel, by a species of Dentalium, that 

 adheres to the lead, in sQunding, for a certain dis- 

 tance, and which they call the hake's tooth. 



Those who reside at sea-ports, and are disposed to 

 collect shells, should take every opportunity of exa- 

 mining the bottoms of ships that arrive from long 

 voyages. It is not uncommon to find upon them 

 different foreign bodies, and particularly acorn 

 shells (Balani). The first specimens of the 

 thorny acorn-shell (Lepas spinosas) were found by 

 the French, on the keel of a Danish ship that had 

 remained some time at St. Helena. 



