710 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



of our interior rivers, especially in Pennsylvania, the Ohio Valley, aud the Southern States, show 

 how extensively and constantly they were sought. White men occasionally eat them, and in case 

 of extreme hunger would perhaps pronounce a roasted Unio or Anodonta good. Some years ago a 

 great furore was created by the discovery of a fine pearl in one of the Uuios of North Carolina a 

 thing likely to happen in the case of any of them, since they have an interior which is often as finely 

 nacreous as that of the Mother-of-pearl Oyster of the Gulf of California. Hundreds of persons 

 immediately began searching the rivers all over that region, and total extirpation of the poor Mus- 

 sels was prevented only by the discouragement of finding few pearls and these of insignificant 

 size. It is probable that from the heavier species, in captivity, good pearls might be obtained 

 artificially by following the plan pursued by the Chinese with their sea Pearl-oyster. The experi- 

 ment is worth trying. 



Shells of fresh-water Mussels are frequently worked up into pocket-books and other fancy arti- 

 cles, as in the case of the Mytilus. When the brown epidermis is removed a beautiful iridescent 

 polish is obtainable. There are almost innumerable varieties of these fresh-water Mussels, and 

 full cabinets have a considerable value. 



The manufacture of jewelry and shell-flowers consumes large quantities of small shells and 

 and the polished opercula of large ones, chiefly derived from Florida. It is said that in London 

 about a million of the commoner sorts are sold to street-sellers and country peddlers, who retail 

 them to be made into fancy work and as objects of curiosity. The same thing is frequently seen 

 in the United States, though more commonly in the shape of the traveling dealer who brings 

 a large and varied stock to a country town, hires a shop for several weeks, and sells his shells 

 mainly by auction. 



The spread of commerce and improved facilities for dredging have made species once rare now 

 common ; but astonishing prices, reaching hundreds of dollars for a single specimen, in some cases 

 were paid by owners of couchological cabinets for rare species half a century ago. This stimulated 

 research and distributed much money among sea-side collectors. Even now dealers in objects of 

 of natural history derive a large profit by importing shells whose only value is their scientific 

 importance ; while the institutions devoted to their study and the books to which an interest in 

 conchology have given rise are entitled to a money estimation not to be despised. 



