Preface. 
* 
the fhells will be found defcribed. In arranging 
thefe, the various genera have been taken from the 
mod approved writers upon Conchology ; to which 
it has been found neceffary to add lome new ones. 
The number of fpecies having much increafcd of 
late years, it teemed requifite that many of the 
old divitions of the genera fhould be formed into 
di ft i n <5t families ; and as they become more nu- 
merous, it will no doubt be neceflary to conftitute 
ft ill more genera, as Fabritins and others have done 
in Entomology. The Linnsean-name of each fpecies, 
where it could be afeertained, or was not indelicate, 
is annexed, as well as the fynonyms of other authors, 
and tbofe of the late Dr. Solander, from an unpub- 
lifhedMS. of his deferiptive of the fhells 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* 
1 hole from the Mufeum of the late Duchefs 
Dowager of Portland are marked M. P. with the 
number of the lot in the Catalogue thereof, where 
they are defcribed. 
For a defeription of the Corals reference has 
been made to Ellis's Zoophyte, where the Linnaeau. 
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 fpecific names as he fears will be 
found. 
CON. 
