82 
LETTERS RELATING TO PHOLAS. 
LETTER II. 
My dear Madam. 
I fear I must have expressed myself very carelessly, 
in two instances, in the first by apparently leaving an impression 
on your mind, that I did not consider your beautiful novelty as an 
absolute addition to British conchology, which I certainly do, or 
I should not have ventured to have named it Pholas costulata. 
In addition to the differences of character which you have accurately 
noticed, it seems also to gape much more widely than its congener 
Pholas Candida, next to which however I should think that it ought 
to be arranged. 
In the second, I must entreat you to believe that it was not my 
intention to beg either directly or indirectly for an extension 
of your bounty and that my request with regard to any future 
specimen being found alive (that it might be emersed in alcohol) had 
reference to the Fawley Cabinet, though it might be lent to some 
conchologist versed in the discrimination of the animal inhabitants 
of shells, for his inspection, to any knowledge of this kind I cannot 
presume to lay claim. 
It appears to me that Sowerby’s and Swainson’s works can scarcely 
interfere with each other. By the by the latter is much more 
decidedly an anti Linmean than the former, pages 6 & 8 of his 
preface will abundantly shew his disapprobation of the Linmean 
school. The very title of Swain son’s work shews that his object 
is not to advance conchological knowledge exclusively, as he very 
properly calls it “ Zoological Illustrations” and in point of fact in 
his first volume are 
24 Figures or Plates of Birds 
3 of Fishes 
17 of Insects 
33 of Shells 
so that the preference of either work may be very fairly supposed 
to be influenced by the taste of the individual. Those who, like 
the performers at Astley’s, ride their three or four horses at once, 
will prefer Swainson ! Those who jog on quietly on a single hobby 
from their conchological stable, will not act unwisely in preferring 
Sowerby. — By his work the different Genera of all shells, fossil as 
