mantle of the living pearl oyster, and allow 

 them to remain there until coated with 

 a layer of nacre. These are often very 

 beautiful but as they are held stationary 

 against the shell and are not enclosed in 

 the mantle and therefore cannot revolve, 

 they are not pearls. The face of these 

 culture pearls is rarely smooth and the 

 back is fitted with a piece of mother of 

 pearl to help round them out. As the 

 only safe way to purchase pearls is unset, 

 when all their imperfections may be readily 

 seen, no one need be deceived by these imi- 

 tations. As all are familiar with the ordin- 

 ary pearl beads of glass coated with a sub- 

 stance prepared from fish scales to give them 

 a pearly lustre they need not be discussed 

 except to state that they are usually hollow 

 but are sometimes filled with wax to give 

 them weight. Other imitations of more 

 recent date are the so-called reconstructed 

 pearls. These are lustrous, solid and look a 

 good deal like pearls at a little distance. 

 The dealers in these imitations are fond of 

 telling the story of their being made from 

 small or baroque pearls which have been 

 dissolved and reconstructed in some mys- 

 terious way into round and beautiful gems. 

 It will hardly be necessary to state that there 

 is not one word of truth in this story. If 

 one will examine one or more pearls in a 

 good light he may be certain of distinguish- 

 ing them from the false by observing the 

 following characteristics. As I write I 



