ARTIFICIAL PEARLS. 81 



versal in the bead trade, being employed in the 

 manufacture of necklaces, ear-drops, &c. So great 

 formerly was the demand at particular times, that 

 the price of the quart measure of fish- scales varied 

 from one guinea to five. The Thames fishermen 

 caught the fish, took off^ the side-scales, and threw 

 them immediately into the river again ; and it was 

 the custom of hawkers, regularly before selling any 

 of these fish, to set apart the scales for the bead- 

 makers. The method of obtaining and using the 

 pigment was, first, thoroughly to clean the scales by 

 exposing them to a current of water, and then to 

 soak them for a time; after which the colouring 

 matter was deposited. When thus procured, small 

 glass tubes were dipped in the pigment, and injected 

 into thin blown hollow glass beads, of various forms 

 and sizes. These were then spread upon sieves and 

 dried in a current of air. If greater weight and firm- 

 ness were required, a further injection of wax was 

 practised. Of this pigment the White-bait affbrd 

 the most delicate and beautiful variety, and used to 

 obtain the highest price ; the Bleak was next in 

 esteem, and the Roach and Dace the least valuable. 

 The French were the inventors of the art; and 

 Dr. Listre informs us, that one artist in Paris, 

 during the course of the winter, used thirty ham- 

 per-fulls of these Bleak scales in this manufacture. 

 Additional details of this curious art will be found 

 in Mr. Yarrell's more ample pages. 



(Sp. 114.) L. phoxinus. Tlie Minnow or Pink. 

 We have already had occasion to allude to this pretty 



