MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND BLISTER PEARLS 127 



Manila— Zamboanga, or Sulti. Called "Manila Shells," they are fished in 

 Mindanao (Zamboanga) and the Sulu Archipelago. 



New Guinea, or Moresby Shell (Port Moresby). This is an inferior yellow 

 shell, often almost copper-colored, and the fishery is unimportant. 



Mergui—from Mergui, Lower Burma. The best of the yellow shells, they are 

 very thick and white. 



Green Shells. While the expressions "white," "yellow," or "black" are commonly 

 used in the trade to describe the shells, "green" shell is not in general use. It seems 

 to denote inferior grade, dirty, greenish-white color, and much smaller size. 



Red Sea. These shells are called "Egyptians" because they were formerly 

 shipped to Europe via Egypt (Cairo). This trade ceased long ago, and now they 

 go directly from their original port via Suez. The Red Sea shell is brought into 

 the ports of Jeddah, Suakim, Massawa, and Aden. 



While fishing is carried on in many parts of the Red Sea, the great fishing 

 grounds are the two island groups, Dahlak and Farsan. Massawa in Eritrea is 

 now the principal export center. Most of the "Egyptian" shells go to Austria 

 and Bohemia, where there is an old-established industry. 



Zanzibar. These shells are inferior to "Egyptians" as they are smaller in size 

 and copper-colored. 



Mussels. This is a highly inferior kind of greenish shell fished in quantities 

 alongside the Lingahs in the Persian Gulf. They are thin and have enormous 

 black lips, resembling the razor-shell. In Austria they have been, and perhaps still 

 are, used for cheap buttons, the local name being "Ohrnaschel" or "Earlobe." 



Panamas. These shells are, generally speaking, smaller than the "Egyptians" 

 and of inferior grade. They have a dirty-white line and are often very thick. Aside 

 from the Venezuelan Lingahs they are the only known American shells. According 

 to origin these are the Panama shells proper, fished vdthin a short distance of the 

 town of Panama. 



Costa Rica. This is a shell of rather better quality, more yellow than green, but 

 very often worm-eaten and riddled with holes. 



Lapar—Acapulco—Mazatldn. These comprise the three grades of shells from 

 Lower California and Mexico. They are similar to "Panamas" in size and general 

 aspect, but are dark-edged. 



Black Shells. These shells are used for fancy buttons. However, the industry 

 suffers from the employment of buttons made of inferior grades of shell, but 

 dyed so as to look genuine. Their chief origin is the Pomota group of islands, 

 where the French Government has each year opened a fishery. The shells are 

 generally called "Tahitis," but represent many different qualities. "Hikueru" is 

 generally considered the best; other origins are the Raiatea and Fukarara. 



Gambier. These islands produce an inferior black shell. 



Fiji. A poor class of black shell is obtained here. 



Green Snails (Turbo marmoratus). These snails are used for buckles, buttons, 

 inlaid work, etc. They are taken in Penang, Singapore, Mergui, Australia, and 

 New Guinea. Those from Penang and Singapore are considered the best, those 

 from Australia and New Guinea the worst since they are harder and have a 

 peculiar thick ring around the bottom which cannot be utilized industrially. 

 Trochus. France has been the only country to exploit Trochus in steadily in- 

 creasing quantities up to thousands of tons. At the outset most of it came from 



