12 THE ECOlSrOMIU MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



water streams, however, we have pearls produced, of which 

 the value will, no doubt, astonish many of the readers of this 

 paper. The species producing them have, unfortunately, not 

 been fully worked out, but they belong for the most part to 

 the genus Margaritana. Pearls from fresh-water Mussels are 

 found in Europe, and were known from very early times. 

 Those from our River-mussels have sometimes great beauty; 

 as much as is known of their value will be found in a sub- 

 sequent part of this paper. 



In many of the East India Islands, the only money which 

 can be used in traffic, consists of the shells of the Cowry 

 {Cyprma monetum). Traders are obliged to provide themselves 

 with a store of it beforehand, and formerly many tons were 

 annually collected and sent to England for the use of traders. 

 This is the most conspicuous example of the use of shells as 

 money, which occurs to us, but many other savage tribes utiliz- 

 ed shells for this purpose. Indians of the west coast of America 

 used species of Hnliotis or Ear-shells, and other tribes, strings 

 of Dentaliwn or Tooth-shells. Among the east coast Indians 

 and those of the interior, wampum was the great medium of 

 exchange and was a true currency. White wampum was 

 made from the central column of the shell of two species of 

 Conch {Sycotypus canaliculatus, and Fulgur carica); purple 

 and the more valuable wampum, was made from the purple 

 part of the shell of the Quahog or Round Clam. These were 

 made into beads, not more than half an inch long, which were 

 strung on threads, the threads being sometimes fastened 

 together side by side to form belts. This was very extensively 

 used by the east coast Indians in their traffic with one 

 another and with the whites. In Acadia it appears to have 

 been used more for ornamental and ceremonial purposes than 

 for money. The Passamaquoddies had "Wampum Records "^ 

 as Mr. Leland tells us in his "Algonquin Legends." Les- 

 carbot, in his "History of New France, (1609, book VI., chap. 

 XII.), has left us a most interesting account of its value to 

 the Micmacs, which, as it has apparently escaped the notice 

 of the writers on this subject, is here given in full. 



"The Brazilians, Floridians and Armouchiquois, [i. e., the 



