Copy 1

A conchological dictionary of the British Islands / by William Turton.

  • Turton, William, 1762-1835.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A conchological dictionary of the British Islands / by William Turton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    papers on the British Testacea; especially the excellent observations on the hinges of bivalve shells, in the sixth volume, by Mr. Wood. Maton and Rackett’s Descriptive Catalogue, in the eighth volume, is subsequently men- tioned. Lister. Wuddesford’s edition of Lister’s Historia Con- chyliorum. Folio, 1770. The basis and ancient foundation of all good Conchology. This admirable volume contains one thousand and fifty-five plates, besides twenty-one of anatomical figures, all drawn from original specimens by his two daughters, Susanna and Anna. Considering the state of natural science at the time this work was first issued, one hundred and thirty-three years since, it is impossible to contemplate this stupendous effort of genius and industry, without admiration at the grandeur of the design, and the correctness of its execution. Some of the plates, especially the anatomical ones, are of matchless excellence. And it is gratifying to recollect, that the original drawings ave preserved among the archives of the University of Oxford. His Historia Animalium Angliz, and its appendix, are now of rare occurrence. Maton and Rackett. A descriptive Catalogue of the Bri- tish Testacea, by W. G. Maton, M.D.V.P.L.S. &c. and the Rev. Thomas Rackett, M.A. F. L.8. &c. in the eighth volume of the Linnean Transactions ; with six colored plates, A transcription of the words of Linné, with an attempt at a translation of the words of Montagu. Of a production which for ten years has been considered as possessing the rare value of decisive authority, we will adventure to exa- mine the merits, as it may prevent the frequent repetition of our own remarks, and exhibit a memorable caution to future writers against too much dependence upon confident pretensions. It is probable that the whole art of typography cannot produce so gross a mass of errors. This is the more re- markable, as their paper was subjected to the usual exami- nation of acommittee of science, and was publicly read be- fore the Society by the principal author himself. The list of corrigenda also, though unusually voluminous, and bearing evident marks of an anxious amendment of their work in its