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THE ECONOMIC USES OF SHELLS. 

 By E. Comber, F.Z.S. 



{Read before the Bombay Natural History Society on the 9th February 1905.) 



I sometimes think that, while our Society is truly a field-naturalist's club, 

 the majority of the papers that are printed in our journal are rather too 

 scientific for the great bulk of our members, and although it is essential that 

 we should foster this scientific research in every way we can, we should at 

 the same time endeavour to encourage and interest the less scientific members 

 of the Society by trying to show them that there is a great field for 

 work which anyone can help in if he will take the trouble. Such work can well 

 take the form of the collection of information with regard to the economic 

 products of the country, and for this the scientific details can easily be sup- 

 plied by the reference of spacimens for identification to the Society's officials. 



As I proceeded with the preparation of this paper I realised more and more 

 the extent of the field that the subject covers and the impossibility of following 

 up and investigating many details, but I hope it will encourage those who have 

 the opportunities to contribute information where they can. 



I would also ask you to consider whether the most is made in this country 

 of the many valuable shell-fish that abound round our coasts and their products. 



Shell-fish have been put to many uses by men from the earliest times. Their 

 shells have been employed as money in many parts of the world by uncivilised 

 peoples ; they have been, and always will be, used as ornaments ; the shell- 

 fish themselves have formed an item of food from time immemorial ; and 

 their shelh again have been utilised for the purpose of producing such 

 valuable commodities as lime. 



I propose to deal with these various uses under their respective heads. 



The employment uf shells as money is a subject that need not be dealt with 

 very fully as it is one that is bound to decrease with the advance of civilisation. 

 Cowries have generally been the favourite shells selected for this purpose, 

 owing no doubt to the beautiful polish that they possess. The so-called " Money 

 Cowrie" {Cyproa moneta) is the customary variety and the value of. them in 

 India is somewhere about 96 to one pice (| anna). Dr. Watt's Dictionary 

 of Economic Products (1 89L*) , to which I shall have to constantly refer, describes 

 them as " imported into Hornbay chiefly from the Laccadive and Maldive Is- 

 lands, and from Zauzibar. " I elsewhere find it noted that " Cowries are import- 

 ed to England from India and other places for the purpose of exportation to 

 West Africa, to be exchanged for native products. '" In a " Provisional List of 

 Notes and References to the Chief Indian Animal Products " published by Dr. 

 Watt in 1902 he writes : " With regard to the use of shells as coins, it is desired 

 to obtain any valuable information as to the extent of this traffic." The imports 

 of cowries into Bombay during the official year 1903-04 comprised 2,771 cwts. 

 from British East Africa and 4,161 cwts. from Portuguese East Africa, say 

 nearly 350 tons, which were valued at over Rs. 22,000. As to the imports 



