Preface. 



the fhells will be found defcribed. In arranging 

 thefe, the various genera have been taken from the 

 molt approved writers upon Conchology ; to which 

 it has been found necefTary to add fome new ones. 

 The number of fpecies having much increafed of 

 late years, it feemed requifite that many of the 

 old divifions of the genera fhould be formed into 

 diilincl families ; and as they become more nu- 

 merous, it will no doubt be necefTary to constitute 

 Kill more genera, as Fabritius and others have done 

 in Entomology. The Linnaean name of each fpecies, 

 where it could be afcertained, or was not indelicate, 

 is annexed, as well as the fynonyms of other authors, 

 and thofe of the late Dr. Solander, from an unpub- 

 lished MS. of his defcriptive of the lliells in the Port- 

 land Cabinet ; with fome few obfervations on the 

 manners of the animals of particular fpecies ; their 

 degree of rarity, or other remarkable particulars. 

 Thofc from the Mufeum of the late Duehefs 

 Dowager of Portland are marked M. P. with the 

 number of the lot in the Catalogue thereof, where 

 they are defcribed. 



For a defcription of the Corals reference has 

 been made to Ellis's Zoophyte, where the Linnaean 

 and other names may be found. 



The editor hopes, that his confeffion of being 

 but little acquainted with the learned languages, 

 will be received as an apology for fuch improprieties 

 in the generic or fpeciflc names as he fears will be 

 found, 



CON- 



