The mollusk collection began in 1860 with the purchase of the land and freshwater snails of J.G. Anthony, who later joined the staff of the MCZ in 1865 as its first curator. Until his death in 1877, he carried on a very active exchange with museums and private collectors all over the world including England, France, Germany, Spain and Australia and tried to acquire authentic specimens of every species he could. In 1876 he began a special effort to exchange with people describing new species in order to obtain type-specimens and as a result, the collection is rich in type material...