2 THE PECTENS, OR SCALLOP-SHELLS. 



or. One group, which is pecuh'ar to the told that the breed had been extermi- 

 coral areas of the Indo- Pacific waters, nated there by an epicurean officer of 

 known as the mantle-shells {PaPiiufi), the coast-guard. The late Major Mar- 

 resembles fine embroidery in sculpture tin would permit any conchologist to 

 and coloration. Many of the forms wliich dredge as much as he pleased in the 

 inhabit the colder seas, either north or bays of the Connemara coast, provided 



south of the equator, are notable for he only took useless shells, but all 



their beauty; a single species frequently the big clams {P. maxiinus) were re- 

 indulges in a differentiation in color and served for the table at Ballynahinch 

 markings. The larger species of the Castle." The high reputation of this 

 fan-shells are found in the colder waters species causes it to be much sought aft- 

 of the North Atlantic and North Pacific er, and it "is a constant visitant of the 

 (Puget Sound and Japan); also, in the London markets. Scalloped with bread- 

 Straits of Magellan, and the similarity crumbs in its own shell, or fried with a 

 of form and sculpture in the shells from little butter and pepper, it forms a very 

 these widely separated regions is quite delicious morsel." 



remarkable. Other illustrations of the The Pccteti irradians is the common 



pectens are found on the west coast of species on the coast of New England. 



North America, and one species is quite In the winter the "meats" are sold in 



abundant at San Diego. Boston market by the quart, and are 



The fan-shells or scallops were known called "scallops." They are obtained 



to the ancients; tliey were called A7tw<: on the shores of Rhode Island. It is 



by the Greeks, and the Kiejs of Xeno- somewhat singular that the San Diego 



crates and Galen is said to be the Pecten scallop has not been introduced into the 



7naxh}ius of modern authors. Accord- San Francisco markets ; it will be, un- 



ing to Athenasus, this or an allied spe- doubtedly, in the course of a few years, 



cies was used by the ancients for med- It may, however, be less palatable than 



icinal purposes as well as food. those above referred to, as all the spe- 



In England, they are called "frills," cies named inhabit waters that have a 



or "queens" in South Devon, according much lower temperature during the 



to Montagu; and on the Dorset coast, greater part of the year than the sea at 



the fishermen call them "squinns." In San Diego. 



the north of France, one kind bears the The scallops are, and have been, es- 

 name oi '•'■vanneau" or '■'■ olivette,^'' and teemed for food and other purposes by 

 another species (/*. inaxinms) is an the aboriginal tribes, as well as by their 

 article of food. Of the latter, Jeffrey, civilized successors. In the shell-heaps 

 a British conchologist, says: "If the of Florida, among the Kjakkenmced- 

 oyster is the king of mollusks, this has dings^ or kitchen -refuse, we find great 

 a just claim to the rank and title of numbers of these shells, especially in a 

 prince." In the fish markets of the north heap at Cedar Keys; and the shells of 

 of France, it is called '■'grand-pelerine,'''' some of the west American species, 

 '■'■ gofiche,''' or '■'■ paloiirde''' In the south found in Puget Sound, are now used by 

 of England, it shares with another spe- the Indians of that neighborhood, for in 

 cies the name of "frill," and in the north the ethnological department of the Smith- 

 that of "clam." sonian Institution at Washington (spec- 



This species {P. viaximus), Jeffrey imens 4773-4-5) are rattles made of 



says, was formerly "plentiful in Lul- valves of the Pecten Jiastatits, which 



worth Bay, on the Dorset coast; but were used by the Makah Indians in the 



now they are rarely found alive. I was vicinity of Neeah Bay in their dances ; 



