Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/663

Ad This day is published, size royal 8vo., 5 Plates, price 3*. 6cl. coloured ; 2*. 6d. plain, Part III. of ELEMENTS OF CONCHOLOGY, BEING A SYSTEMATIC CLASSIFICATION OP ALL THE SPECIES OP RECENT SHELLS KNOWN UP TO THE TIME OF PUBLICATION, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR FORMATION, GROWTH, DEPOSITION OF COLOURS, AND A POPULAR ACCOUNT OP THE ORGANIC STRUCTURE, HABITS, AND CALCIFYING FUNCTIONS OF THEIR ANIMAL INHABITANTS. By LOVELL REEVE, A.L.S., Etc., Author of the 'Conchologia Systematica', * Conchologia Iconica', &c. of the natural size, and twelve Plates of Shells, of the same dimensions, with the Animal crawling from each as it appears in a living state. The object of the present work is to furnish the ' Collector of Shells ' with a methodical arrangement and enumeration of species, illustrated by a shell- figure of every genus, and several figures of shells with the animal as it appears in a living state, accompanied by a popular summary of those grand truths in the physiological history of the Mollusca, which have been elicited from the investigations of recent travellers ; to demonstrate the habits and organic peculiarities of this mystic tribe of animals by a careful system of generali- zation ; and to lead him to meditate, whilst pondering over the treasures of his cabinet, upon the nature and zoological affinity of those imperishable records of existence he so delights to contemplate. It is not the author's intention to treat of the anatomy of the Mollusca in detail, because he cannot boast of sufficient practical acquaintance with the dissecting-knife to enable him to undertake it with satisfaction ; for that de- partment of their natural history he must refer the student to the writings of those authors whose professional skill and education have better fitted them for the task. It is intended to treat of the external form, and of the more prominent features of organization ; and especially such as tend to elucidate peculiarities of habit or the characters selected for their generic arrangement. For drawings of the living mollusks the author will have recourse to those invaluable records of zoological discovery executed under the auspices of the French- Government, which, on account of their enormous cost, are as sealed books to the naturalists of this country ; • and he will be mainly indebted for information on their habits and circumstances of existence to the enter- prising exertions of Hugh Cuming, Esq., whose free manner of communi- cating the different incidents which arrested his attention during fourteen years of indefatigable research, cannot be spoken of in too high terms. The Elements. of Conchology are addressed exclusively to the ' Collector of Shells'; and the author desires the work to be simply recorded as an effort to induce a more legitimate tone of enquiry amongst amateur concho- logists, into the nature and origin of those beautiful objects which afford them so much intellectual recreation and amusement. London : Reeve, Brothers, King William Street, Strand.
 * To be completed in twelve Monthly Parts, illustrated with forty-eight Plates of Shells,