216 COLLECTING SHELLS. 



abroad ; or in the day-time when the weather is moist and 

 rainy. 



Fresh Water Shells are to be met with in almost 

 every lake, pond, river, and ditch, either lurking in the mud 

 at the bottom, or crawling on leaves, or on the sides of the 

 lakes, &c In ordinary cases, a tin spoon must be used to 

 search for them; this is like the head of a dredge-box, of 

 four inches and a half diameter, perforated with numerous 

 small holes, not exceeding the sixteenth part of an inch 

 caliber. To this must be attached a handle for the recep- 

 tion of a walking-stick or other piece of wood. With this 

 spoon the Conchologist must rake along the surface of the 

 mud and sand at the bottom of ditches, rivulets, or ponds, 

 and having brought a quantity to the surface, the mud must 

 be washed entirely away, and the shells, if there are any, 

 will remain behind. 



For Anodonta Cygnea, and other large species, which 

 burrow deep in the mud, a different sort of net is necessary. 

 This consists of an iron triangle of twelve inches, by seven 

 at the base, to which a hollow upright handle is affixed, and 

 in this is inserted a pole of sufficient length to reach the 

 bottom. It must be tirmly screwed to the handle. A net 

 of twine or hair-cloth is attached to the triangle. The 

 point of the triangle should be sharp, so that it may the 

 more easily penetrate the mud, through which it must be 

 drawn in situations where shells are likely to exist. 



Great deception is practised by some dealers in shells, by 

 which means they easily impose on those who are unac- 

 quainted with them. If a shell happens to have the lip 

 broken, they take a common file, and form it anew ; by 

 which the character of the shell is often completely altered. 

 Some go so far as even to form a canal, to imitate rare shells, 

 and also counterfeit striae; when they have accomplished 

 this, they then imitate the external colouring, and finish the 

 whole by a coat of varnish. The shells they thus transform 

 are, in general, worn specimens; though in some instances 

 good shells are sacrificed to obtain their object. 



Much might be here said on the arts practised to alter, 



