tached, but adhere often to the valves, and are ext cated by opening the shell and washing. After day's work, the pearls which have dropped out a selected and assorted. The small or seed pearls a worth from three to seven guineas per ounce. The of half a grain weight are sold for about eighte pence or two shillings each; and those of one gra from three to four shillings; of two grains, from sev to nine shillings each; of five grains, from thirty-f to forty-two shillings: those of eight or nine grai if of fine colour and shape, are of arbitrary val The finest specimens of extremely rare occurre have fetched enormous prices, and have ever b considered invaluable, fit only to adorn the rega of princes and contribute to the costly splendour Asiatic potentates. These beautiful and unassum productions, so delicate and varied in their tints, elegant in their forms, are more highly estimated more generally used as ornaments in Asia than Europe, and consequently the most precious are tained by the Asiatic merchants'. 17. Pinna, nacre or sea-wing; inhabitant, a lima This, which forms the connecting link between bivalve and univalve shells, is so formed as to p sess equal claims to either division; the suture hinge, by which the two parts are united, is of a ferent substance to the shells, but is hard and flexile: of the byssus (a sort of silk) is manuf tured various articles of apparel, and manufacto are established for this purpose at Naples and lermo. The pinnæ are all inhabitants of the oce in the sand and mud on the shore of sheltered ba they may be often obtained standing erect, or affi by their beards to rocks and stones. A bed of th shells was discovered a few years ago in Salco Bay, near Kingsbridge, Devonshire, by Col. Monta imals are accounted a very palatable food, uire at least five or six hours' stewing. Univalves. DIVISION I.-With a regular Spire. Learn of the little Nautilus to sail, Spread the light oar, and catch the passing gale. almost imperceptible gradation, in this beaulass of animals, renders the present mode of ication peculiarly interesting; as we are not the necessity of separating nearly allied famià circumstance too often observable in the classf most other natural productions. Our res on the last genus (pinna) will, with almost propriety, apply to the first genus in the present which has the appearance of being composed o separate sides, but united by a narrow strip el of the same texture, which forms a near ale to the bivalve shells. Most of the shells of division possess a regular spiral curve, very conious in many of the genera, but gradually be ng obsolete. Argonauta, paper-nautilus; inhabitant a sepia or clio. Il the argonaute are marine shells, of exceedy brittle texture, and possess great elegance of 1. The antients are said to have derived the of navigation from the animals inhabiting these ls; which, in calm weather, are seen floating the surface of the water, with some of their acula extended at the sides, while two arms, t are furnished with membranaceous appends, serve the office of sails. These animals raise mselves to the surface of the sea, by ejecting the -water from their shells; and on the approach of nger, they draw in their arms, and with them a quantity of water, which occasions them to sink in A membrane stretched between supplies the sail, See our frontispiece, fig. 1, for the argonauta arg or paper-nautilus. 19. Nautilus, sail-shell; inhabitant, a sepia. The nautili bear a considerable resemblance the last genus, like which, they are often seen floa ing on the surface of the ocean. The larger kinds a entirely marine; some of the smaller species are four in rivers, brooks, and ponds, frequently adhering the leaves and stems of aquatic plants, and to piec of wood; others are found only in a fossil state. 20. Conus, cone-shell; inhabitant, a slug. Most of the cone-shells are covered with an ef dermis, under which the surface bears a most bea tiful polish: all the species are marine, and are g nerally found on rocky coasts. There is no gen throughout the whole of the shell-tribes which hol so important a station in collections as the cone and it is difficult to decide whether they are most be valued for their rarity or beauty. The admir cone ranks first. Of the high-admiral alone the v winties are incalculable: next come the vice admiral -admirals, and others equally rare; most of པན་ ཆ ere is no tribe of shells which, on the whole, are beautiful than these. From their high polish rilliant colours, they have derived the name, by they are most commonly known in France, of laines. The species are very numerous. In vilized countries several of them are used as orents for the person, both of men and women, and = are worn as amulets or charms against disease. v reside in the sand at the bottom of the sea, and urnished with a membrane, which is so extensive, they are able to throw it over their whole shells, thus preserve them always pure and polished." se animals have two horns, and the canal by ch they respire is situated on the top of their 1. he tiger-cowry (c. tigris) and money cowry (c. eta.)-There are few shells of the present tribe re common in collections, and at the same time re beautiful, than the former of these species. It ound both in the Indian and Adriatic Seas. The er are well known on almost all the coasts of ica and India, where they are employed by the ives in commerce, instead of money, about two 1 Wodarch's Introduction to the Study of Conchology, p. 53. 1 thousand of them being esteemed equal in value to rupee. The negro women, it is stated, fish for the usually three days before or after the full moon; an thirty or forty vessels are annually laden with the in the Maldivian Islands, for exportation to Afric Bengal, Siam, and the adjacent islands, for the pu poses of commerce. Of the cowries, a very r markable fact has been stated by M. Bruguière, tha when the animals finds their shells too small for th increased dimension of their body, they quit the and proceed to the formation of new ones of larg size, and consequently better adapted to their wan -See our frontispiece, fig. 3, for the cypræa talp or mole cowry; and fig. 6, for the c. literata, lettered cowry. 22. Bulla, dipper; inhabitant, a slug. The dippers inhabit the sea, rivers, lakes, a ditches: the texture of most of the sorts is excee ingly thin: the marine kinds are sometimes found shallows, during the recess of the tide. 23. Voluta, volute; inhabitant, a slug. This is a very extensive genus, the greater part which are natives of the tropical seas, and are or found on the shores after storms; but few kin are European, and these do not possess any gre degree, of beauty, while the tropical kinds amongst the most beautiful of the whole tribe. T marks on the music-shell (v. musica) exactly rese ble the notes and other characters used in music. See our frontispiece, fig. 4, for the v. episcopalis, bishop's mitre. 24. Buccinum, whelk; inhabitant, a limax. The whelks are found adhering to rocks or stor beneath the surface of the ocean, but some few a terrene their shells are generally strong, rough, a hollow, and their flesh may with safety be used food |
