14 



THE NAUTILUS. 



hunger in an approved manner, and sometimes they made ornaments 

 from the discarded shells. 



There are three species of Haliotis found in large numbers on the 

 coast of California, though all three" do not abound in the same 

 locality. The southern species, H. splendens, is never found north 

 of Monterey Ray, and I have seen only one specimen from that 



body of water. That one, however, 

 was a genuine splendens, and I 

 know almost the rock from which 

 it was taken. I dissected the creat- 

 ure, which was evidently an aged 

 individual, and the shell is now in 

 my cabinet. This species is found 

 abundantly farther south, around 

 Santa Barbara and San Diego. It 

 is really the most beautiful of the 

 three, though its shell is too thin 

 for some kinds of work. The 

 magnificently mottled green pearl 

 of the great muscle scar reminds 

 one of the full glory of a peacock's 

 expanded tail. 

 On the shores of central and northern California the other two 

 species abound. H. rufescens sometimes has a shell as large as a 

 dinner plate, but common specimens are only six or eight inches long. 

 The outer layer of the shell is of a red color, while the inner or na- 

 creous portion is beautifully iridescent. On account of their solid- 

 ity, the shells of this species are specially fitted for making jewelry 



and pearl ornaments. These mol- 

 lusks are captured by Chinese boat- 

 men, who row along near the rocks, 

 when the tide is low, and peer curi- 

 ously down into all the, cracks and 

 clefts where these great creatures 

 hide. When one is discovered, a 

 wedge on the end of a pole is em- 

 ployed to suddenly dislodge the poor 

 mollusk from his strong hold, and a 

 boat-hook draws him up from the 

 water into the hands of his enemy. 

 The third species, H. Cracherodii 

 is the most common of all and is 

 also'' the smallest, though it some- 



H. splendens. 



