10 Beautiful Shells. 
prismatic hues of the rainbow. In all, whether 
distinct and unconnected, or intimately blended, 
whether regular or irregular, they are beautiful 
exceedingly. Nor is their beauty of an evanescent, 
that is, fading, or vanishing character; unlike 
plants and animals, which, when once dead, are 
extremely difficult of preservation, Shells, being 
composed of particles already in natural combina- 
tion, are almost indestructible; unless exposed to 
the action of fire, or some powerful acid, they will 
remain the same for ages, requiring no care or 
attention, beyond occasionally removing the dust, 
which would collect upon and defile their pearly 
whiteness, or obscure the brilliancy of their colours. 
So easily collected, arranged, and preserved, 
and withal so singular and graceful in form, and 
rich and various of tint, one cannot wonder that 
Shells have always had a conspicuous place in all 
museums, and other collections of natural history 
objects; neither can we feel surprised that a high 
value should have been set upon rare specimens; as 
much as a thousand pounds, it is said, has been 
given for the first discovered specimen of the Venus 
Dione; another shell, called the Conus cedo nulli, is 
valued at three hundred pounds; and the Turbo 
scaloris, if large and perfect, is worth one hundred 
