48 TESTUDINATA. — CHELONIADiE. 



plates, and two pieces are then united together 

 in the following manner : — The edges are bevelled 

 off to the space of two or three lines, and the 

 margins, when placed together, overlap each 

 other to that extent. They are then pressed 

 together by a metallic press, and the whole is 

 submitted to the action of boiling water ; and by 

 this means the two pieces are so perfectly sol- 

 dered together, as to leave no indication of the 

 line of union. By the application of heat, also, the 

 tortoise-shell may be made to receive any impres- 

 sion, by being pressed between metalHc moulds. 



"No portion of this precious substance is lost 

 or useless. The filings and powder, which re- 

 main after these and the other processes to which 

 the shell is submitted, are placed with any small 

 fragments in metallic moulds, and by means of 

 pressure, exercised whilst they are exposed to 

 the heat of boiling water, they are formed into 

 plates of any thickness which may be required." 



The shell of the Turtle being so valuable, some 

 ingenuity is well bestowed in the endeavour to 

 avoid any waste of it. Accordingly, in manufac- 

 turing combs, a curious invention has been resort- 

 ed to for this end. To make a comb six inches 

 long, and one inch wide, one would naturally 



suppose that it would 

 be needful to have a 

 piece of shell of that 

 size ; and such is in- 

 deed the case. But 

 two combs may be 

 formed out of a piece 

 of shell very little larger, by merely resorting 

 to a very simple plan, which the accompany- 



COMB-CUTTING. 



