916 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



There have been other theories as to the production 

 of the pearl, some holding that the interior formation 

 which we state to be a grain of sand, is a dead ovum which 

 the fish attempts to exude. This theory, too, has its sup- 

 porters. 



"If," said Sir Everard Home, a distinguished surgeon in 

 the early part of this century, who was led to study the 

 structure of Pearls, "if I can prove that this, the richest 

 jewel in a monarch's crown, which cannot be imitated by 

 any art of man " (he is rather wrong there : it can be imi- 

 tated, and wonderfully imitated too), " either in beauty of 

 form or brilliancy of lustre, is the abortive egg of an 

 oyster enveloped in its own nacre, who will not be struck 

 with wonder and astonishment ?" 



Wonder and astonishment are words which scarcely 

 exist now. Science has shown so many wonders that we 

 are hardly astonished at anything ; but SirEverard's asser- 

 tion admits of proof. A pearl cut in two exhibits the 

 concentric layers like an onion, as may be seen through a 

 strong lens ; and in the centre is a round hole, very 

 minute it may be, but wherein the ovum has been depo- 

 sited, (e) 



Year by year some thousands of Pearls are cut in half 

 by working jewellers, and their universal experience is that 

 a nucleus is always to be found. 



On the other hand, the pearlers in the North-West of 

 Australia state that most of the Pearls broken there have 

 presented a small golden-coloured cavity, capable of hold- 

 ing a No. 8 shot. The experience of these pearlers on 

 the general subject, however, is much inferior to that of 



the jeweller. 



(e) " The Oyster," c. 



