HALIOTID.E. EAR-SHELL, OR SEA-EAR. 181 



mentions the abundance of two species of Haliotis in the 

 Bay of Monteroy, and that they are much sought after 

 by thelnd ains, not only for food, but because the shells 

 are used for ornaments, and the natives decorate their 

 baskets with pieces of them. Haliotis gigantea is 

 eaten by the Californian Indians, and the Chinese 

 are very partial to Venus J s-ears, which form part of a 

 Chinese dinner, with sea-snails, shark's fins, &c. The 

 Koreaus dry great numbers of Haliotis and string 

 them upon rattans for the Chinese market, and they 

 sell at the rate of 300 for a dollar.* The shells of 

 Haliotis tuberculoma are said by M. Debeaux to be used 

 in medicine by the Chinese. The Japanese also use 

 the HaliotidaB as food, and make them into soup. 



The large Haliotis gigantea they call Awabi, and 

 Haliotis supertexta is Tokobushi. f 



TI13 natives of New Zealand call Haliotis iris the 

 mutton fish. 



The Guernsey ear-shells are used by farmers to 

 frighten away small birds from the standing corn — two 

 or three of these shells being strung together and sus- 

 pended by a string from the end of a large stick, so as 

 to make a clattering noise when moved by the wind.}; 



Haliotida} in great -quantities are brought to Bir- 

 mingham from various parts of the world, for making 

 mother-of-pearl ornaments, buttons, and inlaying 

 papier-mache tables, &c, and this latter art of orna- 

 mentation was introduced by George Suter, a decorator 

 in the employ of Messrs. Jennens and Bettridge, who 

 patented the invention in 1825. An instance has been 



* ' Travels of a Naturalist in Japan and Manchuria,' by Arthur 

 Adams, F.L.S., R.N. 



f 'Japan,' by J. J. Rein. J 'British Conchology.' 



