vi 



PREFACE. 



During my visits to the sea-coasts for 

 the last six or seven years, I have taken 

 note of the questions put to me by persons 

 who were anxious to know something of the 

 curious olbjects that everywhere met their 

 eyes ; and the following pages are, as nearly 

 as possible, the condensed conversations that 

 then took place. 



The whole of the illustrative plates were 

 drawn expressly for this work by Mr. 

 Sowerby^ whose name is a sufficient guarantee 

 for their truth. 



London, May^ 1857. 



