446 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



interesting necklace consisted of operculums, 2 inches in length, of some large shell, 

 attached by a fiber decorated with yellow feathers. 



From Peru, life-size models of the Zaperos and Jiveros Indians, residing on the 

 Montana of Peru, were shown fully attired with their ornaments. These tribes decor- 

 ate their headdresses, shoulder bands, and breasts with a profusion of circular, dia- 

 mond-shaped, and pear-shaped pieces of a brilliant Anodon shell. These they arrange 

 to form stars and other patterns, by sewing a number of them to the fabric, generally 

 by means of perforations, and frequently have them swinging as pendants from the 

 dress. They also use small Unio shells, the wing-cases of beetles, white and red dried 

 seeds, teeth of animals, etc. 



A woven necklace on which are sewed square sections of some fresh- water shells, 

 and hanging from it oblong pendants; also three shells of the Spondylus, a pendant 

 ornament, the red color of the latter shell adding a very striking feature. 



From Peru, was shown an immense mother-of-pearl casket measuring 30 inches 

 in length, 17 inches in width, and 18 inches in height, ornamented with large silver 

 clasps and handles, and decorated with scrolls tilled with a black pitchy substance, 

 probably asphalt, Spanish work dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. 



In the collection made by Dr. O. Finsch, of Hamburg, Germany, from the islands 

 of the Pacific, are a number of shell articles, naturally much used among a people 

 whose choice of materials is so limited and whose life is so much upon the sea and 

 beach. Among these may be mentioned : Fishhooks and scrapers of mother-of-pearl, 

 from the Caroline Islands; armlets from cross sections of Trochus shells, from New 

 Britain; similar armlets from New Guinea, decorated on the exterior with character- 

 istic carvings; also nose ornaments, tassels for earrings, etc. The nose rings were in 

 shape long-elliptical, about 3 inches by f of an inch, with a piece cut out from the 

 middle of one side, about h inch in length. This interrupted ring could then be put 

 on the lower part of the nose, and would remain there by clasping it, much as we 

 attach our spring eyeglasses above. Some of them were carved and some plain. 



Another New Guinea ornament was a sort of plate or gorget, oval in form and 

 about 3 inches by 2, perforated at the middle of one side, to be suspended and worn. 

 This was cut so thin as to be almost transparent. 



A somewhat similar mother-of-pearl gorget, from New Britain, about the same 

 size, has the form of a semi-ellipse, with the upper edge cut somewhat concave, so as 

 to give the whole a lunate shape. At the middle of the concave side are two drilled 

 holes near together, to suspend it. 



In the Orient articles of personal adornment made of shell have been used and 

 valued among the East Indians time out of mind; particularly, bracelets made from 

 large univalves, such as TurbineUa rapa, have been regarded as indispensable by 

 Hindoo women, and worn as a badge of ceremonial purity by every wife. They are 

 given to the bride by her father at her marriage, and a brief religious form is gone 

 through before patting them on. 



In making them, the shell was cut into thin slices, as it were, across the body- 

 whorl of, e. //., a large Turbinella, and these were then easily wrought into rings of 

 a suitable size for bracelets. They were then variouslv ornamented by gilding and 



