cut from large shells. One of the latter was from the large clam, 

 Pacliydesma crassatelloides, and the pieces were called hawock or ha-wok, 

 their value ranging from four to twenty-five cents. Another clam used 

 was Saxidomus aratus. The little Olivella biplicata was used as beads 

 and called kol-kol. They were made by grinding off the apex, which 

 left a hole through the axis of the shell. The Haliotis, or abalone, 

 was also used and was called uhl-lo. Pieces of the shell from one 

 to two inches in length were cut from the flat part of the abalone, 

 holes were drilled at one end, and they were strung like beads. Their 

 value was one dollar each, or ten dollars for a string of ten pieces. 



" Like the shell money of New England, that of the Pacific coast 

 was counterfeited by the whites, and for this reason, the value of the 

 native currency soon declined. 



THE ROCK SHELLS 



"The rock shells, belonging to the genus Murex, are among the 

 most beautiful and interesting of all the mollusks, and are a favorite 

 among collectors. Their peculiar spiny shells and 

 brilliant colors caused them to be among the first 

 mollusks studied by naturalists, and we therefore 

 find them described in the earliest works on natural 

 history. 



" There are about two hundred kinds of rock shells, 

 mostly confined to the tropical and subtropical seas, 

 although a few are found in temperate climes. The 

 largest number of these are found about rocks at 

 low water, but not a few are inhabitants of waters 

 as deep as five hundred or more fathoms. In our 

 own country they are abundant along the coast of 

 Panama, the Gulf of California, Florida, and the 

 islands of the West Indies ; but the greatest number 

 of varieties come from the Indian Ocean, Japan, in China. (Wood- 



ward.) 



Australia, and the Philippines. The more brightly 



colored species are from tropical seas, while the dull, plain species 



are from subtropical and temperate climes. 



" The murices are peculiar in having their shells ornamented by 

 numerous projections, which vary from long, needle-like spines to simple 

 fluted frills. What these spines and frills are for, would probably puzzle 

 the ordinary observer, as they appear at first sight to be in the way. 

 In some cases they may be simply ornamental, but in the main they 

 are protective, and enable the mollusk to escape from being eaten by 



in 



