THE TOMB OF PEARL 



usually little magots, for these pieces come from the 

 Far East. They are pearls formed in a freshwater 

 mussel of the genus Dipsas, as a consequence of an 

 artificial stimulation. The producer has chosen a 

 certain number of fine specimens; introduced, between 

 their shell and the mantle, porcelain figurines prepared 

 beforehand; then he has gone away and left to the 

 natural function the job of completing the work. It 



Fig. 52. — Sea-cucumber or Holothurian and Fierasfer. The Holo- 

 thurian, which is black, shows at the right its tentacle-surrounded 

 mouth. At the very left is a Fierasfer, introducing itself to the 

 body through the anus. The Holothurian is contracted and 

 shrunken. 



has not failed to do its task. When he comes back, 

 he fishes out the shells, empties them, and finds the 

 figurines as he wished to find them, fixed to the valve, 

 immured in mother-of-pearl so fine that all the details 

 of the figurine appear through it. The fish's tomb is 

 here a simple covering, for Nature, not making a 

 distinction, acts in the same way in all cases. 



But the story continues beyond the nacreous pearls 



until we come to fine pearls, to the real pearls. These 



are much rarer and, instead of being attached to the 



inside of the valves, occur free in the living tissues like 



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