[ 8 ] 



Additions to the fhells that are already known may alfo be made at any future 

 period, without occafioning the leaft. confufion in the order of the work. This 

 important advantage is obtained fimply by numbering each plate, and adding the letter 

 affigned to the genus to which that particular fpecies belongs. 



The fuperior ftyle in which the work now offered to the public is executed will beft 

 appear by comparing it with all others extant either in this, or any other branch of 

 natural hiftory. The drawings will be minutely correct, and adapted to a fcale formed on 

 an attentive obfervation of the more perfect fpecimens in the principal cabinets of this 

 kingdom. The engraving will confift merely of a delicate outline, as a certain guide 

 for the relative proportions of the parts : to this the utmoft fkill and labour of the 

 painter will be added, in order to produce from the whole the full effect of that beautiful 

 contour, rich colouring, and bold relief, which the fubject fo peculiarly demands, 

 and which the art of painting alone can properly fupplyj while the exact and lively 

 reprefentation of nature in the fze, flape, convolutions, and various colours of the different 

 (hells thus exhibited, will at the fame time anfwer every purpofe of fcience, and in fome 

 fort render the following work truly worthy the appellation Of a fchool, for this pleafing 

 branch of '?iatural hijlory. 



The author prefumes that the method which he has adopted, of difplaying the figure 

 of each fhell in two pofltions, would generally be preferred; and indeed any other 

 method would not only interfere with that uniformity fo neceffary to be preferved in the 

 paintings, but alfo clafh with the propofed fyflem; as it would have been impoffible, 

 from fo fmall a number as the South Sea fhells afford, to felect proper companions of 

 the fame fize and genus to be given in the fame plate, and that too repeatedly. In the 

 future volumes it is propofed to give at leaft two different pells of the fame genus in each 

 plate, provided that by fueh a difpofition fufficient juftice can be done in expreffing the 

 fyftematic character, and at the fame time preferving the principal beauties of each fhell. 

 At intervals of time plates will alfo be given, reprefenting the opercula of the different 

 fhells wherever they can be afcertained. 



At the end of this work will be added an alphabetical as well as a generical table, 

 with proper references, by means of which inftant recourfe may be had to a particular 

 fhell of any family. 



On the whole, from the fimplicity of the principles here propofed, together with the 

 afîiftance of the fynoptic table, the author ventures to affirm that the moft inexperienced 



lover 



