T HIS little book grew out of a need, felt by 
the author, of a cheap and convenient 
manual of the more common shells found on the 
coast of California. Hitherto, most of the in- 
formation in regard to them has been contained 
in rare scientific works, while good illustrations 
have been still more hard to obtain. The writer 
has therefore resolved to put the information 
which he has been gaining from varied sources 
for the last few years, in such a form that any 
one can use it who has the inclination. 
The first chapter treats of the structure of 
Mollusks ; the second gives directions for find- 
ing, studying, and preserving specimens ; while 
the remainder of the book is taken up with de- 
scriptions of the several species. The work does 
not aim to describe all the Mollusks found on our 
shore, but treats especially of those common va- 
rieties which may be sought, with a reasonable 
hope of finding them for study and collection. 
Monterey Bay has been taken as the central 
point of study, as it furnishes a great variety of 
species, and its shores are becoming more and 
more the great summer school-ground for the 
students of nature. 
