49 



LETTER IV. 



THE MOLLUSCA CONSIDERED IN THEIR RELATIONS 



TO MAN. 



The only mollusk which rivals the oyster in the relation 

 of its utility to man is the Pearl-Oyster (Meleagrina margari- 

 tifera,* Fig. 8, a), the parent of the highly-prized ornaments 

 from which the shell derives its specific name. Pliny intro- 



Fig. 8. 



duces his account of these in this fashion : — " It was not suffi- 

 cient belike to bring the seas into the kitchen, to let them 

 down the throat into the belly, unlesse men and women both 

 carried them about in their hands and eares, upon their head, 

 and all over their body. And yet what societie and affinitie 

 is there betwixt the sea and apparell ? what proportion be- 

 twixt the waves and surging billows thereof, and wooll ? for 

 surely this element naturally receives us not into her bosom 

 vmlesse we be stark naked ; and set the case there were so 

 great good fellowship with it and our bellies, how comes our 

 backe and sides to be acquainted with it ? But wee were not 

 contented to feed with the peril of so many men, unlesse we 



* Mr. Temploton states that the Pcarl-Oyster of Ceylon is the Avicula 

 radiata of Leach (Ann. and Mag. N. Hist. xi. 325) ; but this shell is con- 

 sidered by Lamarck to be merely a variety of the Melcagina. 



E 



