CLEANING SHELLS. 217 



patch up, and beautify shells; but this has no connection 

 with the science, and may therefore be omitted, as a natu- 

 ralist would prefer a worn, or even a broken specimen, to 

 one either altered, or coloured and varnished, by which it 

 can be rendered pleasing to the eye of only the inexperienced 

 in Natural History. Surely the lover of nature must look 

 with contempt on all artiiicial means employed either to 

 alter or amend the objects of his study. It will be suffi- 

 cient to point out the means of simply cleaning testaceous 

 bodies. 



When shells are perforated by sea-worms, or when any 

 other accidental circumstance occurs to deform a good 

 specimen, it is certainly desirable to use some means to 

 improve it; and for this purpose a cement may be made of 

 fine whitening, flour, and gum ; the holes or cracks may be 

 filled up with this composition, and allowed to dry; it should 

 always be a little above the surface, and cautiously scraped 

 down with a knife; when ridges or striae can easily be 

 imitated, if necessary, with a file or engraving instrument. 

 The parts thus mended may be coloured with common 

 water-colours, and then brushed; or if on a smooth shell, 

 polished with the palm of the hand, and afterwards rubbed 

 over with Florence oil, which should be well dried off with 

 a piece of flannel. If this mode is judiciously managed, the 

 specimen may be examined, and the blemish never dis- 

 covered. 



Many shells, even when obtained alive, are incrusted with 

 extraneous matter: the best and safest means of removing 

 this is, first to steep them in warm water, and then to scrape 

 them with a knife, or start them off with an engraving tool. 

 A little sand paper may also be used, but care must be 

 taken not to injure the shell. When as much of the crust 

 is in this way removed, as can with safety be done, recourse 

 should be had to muriatic acid, very much diluted with 

 water ; by applying this cautiously with a feather to the 

 places you wish removed, for a very short period, it will 

 soon decompose the extraneous matter. Two minutes at 

 a time is as long as it can with safety be applied, but one 



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