During the 1830's a great controversy developed regarding the date of publication and consequent priority of names of fossils described by two paleontologists, Isaac Lea and Timothy Abbott Conrad, both closely associated with the Academy of Natural Sciences. Each studied material from Claiborne, Alabama. The initial papers appeared in 1833, and never during his lifetime did either retract his claim to priority. In 1853 Conrad published “A synopsis of the Family Naiades of North America.” The first sentence claims the attempt to give synonymies for those descriptions published by Lea which were still in doubt as to date of issue. Twenty-five pages of corrections follow. The next year Lea countered with a “Rectification” in which he virtually discards everything Conrad says. The Academy's copy “New Fresh Water Shells of the U. S.”, 1834 by T. A. Conrad, contains voluminous notes of Isaac Lea, which were later used in his “Rectification”. Of the latter publication, the Academy has the complete holograph and the page proofs of the same article. The manuscript carries a note signed “I. L. April, 1855” to the effect that the Academy did not publish the complete article, which this copy contains.