MOLLUSCA. 155 



Gyprcea, moneta, L., lias been imported into Liver- 

 pool of late years at the following rate : 



In the year 1851, 1704 cwt. of Cyprcea moneta ; 

 in 1852, 2793 cwt. ; in 1853, 1680 cwt. ; in 1854, 

 90 cwt.; in 1855, 311 cwt. There are two com- 

 mercial varieties of White Cowrie one called the 

 Live Cowrie, taken when the animal is alive in the 

 shell ; the other called the Dead Cowrie. Both are 

 largely collected in the Maldive Islands, and ex- 

 ported to Africa, where they are used as money, 

 and exchanged for palm-oil, ivory, gum, etc. They 

 are found upon the shores of the warmer seas, prin- 

 cipally in the Mediterranean and Indian Seas. 



Other species of Cyprcea, known to the French 

 as Porcelaines, or as Pucilages, and by the English 

 as "Love-shells/' are used as ornaments, etc. 

 Children sometimes place them to the ear, to listen, 

 as they say, to the sound of the sea.* The small 

 Cyprcea are made into clasps, buttons, ear-rings, 

 bracelets, etc. (Fig. 16), and even into stags, ele- 

 phants, horses, etc., for children. They are not 

 only hawked about the streets in England, but 

 exposed for sale in the shop-windows of Continental 



* The peculiar noise that is heard when one of these shells, or 

 indeed any object of a somewhat similar shape, is placed to the ear, 

 has never been clearly explained. It appears, however, to be owing 

 to the movement of the air in and out of the shell, the current 

 being caused by approaching the cold shell to the ear. 



