Account cj the Fearl Fiper-j in the Gulph of Manar. 67' 



fame Gze liave been found. The fpotted and irregular ones are fold cheap, and arc chiefly 

 ufed by the native phyficians as au ingredient in their medicines. 



We may judge with greater or lefler probabiiity by the appearance of the pearl-fhell, 

 whether they contain pearls or not. Thofc that have a thick calcareous cruft upon them, 

 to which yf»-/if/Af (fea tubes) Tiihili marim irregulariter intorti, Crijla-gali Chamar lazuraty 

 Lepas tintinabulum, Aladreporee, ATiUiporey Cfllipore, Gorgontit, Spongiit, and other zoo- 

 phytes are faftened, have arrived at their full growth, and commonly contain the beft 

 pearls ; but thofe that appear fmootli, contain either none, or fmall ones only. 



Were a naturalift to make an excurfion for a few months to Manar^ the fmall ifland 

 near Jafna and the adjacent coaft, he would difcover many natural curiofities, ftill buried 

 in obfcurity, or that have never been accurately defcribed. 



Indeed no place in the Eajf Indies abounds more with rare fhells, than thefe : for there 

 they remain undifturbed, by being (heltered from turbulent feas, and the fury of the furf. 

 I will juft name a few of them ; viz. Tellitiafoliaca Lynn *, Tell, Spenglerii, Area culcU' 

 lata t, Area Noa, folen anatinus Linn. OJIrea Ifogttomum, Terebullmn, albidtim, Jlriatum, 

 Turbo fcalaris\ Bula volvalAnnf^f Vexillum itigritarutn, isfc. Amongft the beautiful cone 

 fliells : conns thalajftarchus Anglicanus cullatusWf arnadis thaJTiarehus, eon. genera/cis Linn. c. 

 capitaneus**y c. miles W, c.Jlereus mufcarumX\. c. reteaitreum, cglaueus^, e. cercola, regia 

 corona mtirtis lapediitSf eanda erminea focietas cordium. There are many other befides thofe 

 already mentioned, equally valuable and curious. 



Tlie great fuccefs of the Rev. Dodor John in conchology when at Tiitucorin, and aflifted 

 by G. Angelbeck, with a boat and divers : and the capital colle£tions made by his agents, 

 whom he afterwards fent there with the neceflary inftruftions and apparatus, may be feen 

 in Cliemnitz's elegant cabinet of fhells in 4to. (with illuminated plates), and how many newr 

 fpecies of Zoophytes he difcovered, we learn from another German work by Efper at Er- 

 langen, the third volume of which is nearly finiflied. 



• The golden tong. f Mounkfcape. J Royal ftaircafe. 



§ Weaver's (huttle. || Red Englijh aJmiial. *» Green ftamper. 



•J-f Garter ftamper. XX Great fand ftamper. §§ Capf. Gottw. 



E 2 Vf 



