Distribution of Pearls and Peart-shell. 95 
Throughout Malaysia, including the Philippines and 
Sulu Islands; .the pearl is known as mutya, mootara, 
mutyara, or some similar name, closely resembling the 
Sanskrit #uta, or the Cingalese mzoofo0, indicating the 
source of the influence that inaugurated the fishery and 
trade of this region.” 
At Pados Bay, island of Borneo, Placuna fishing 1s 
also carried on, and the shells, dried meat, and the seed- 
pearls they contain, all form important articles of 
commerce. The seed-pearls are used as a form of currency 
between the fishermen and the Chinese traders.” 
Throughout the Malay Archipelago, and especially 
on the coast of Borneo, the natives allege that “ breeding 
pearls” exist, that is to say, there are pearls which possess 
the power of reproduction or rather germination. It is 
the generally accepted belief that if a few pearls of good 
size are sealed up in a box together with some grains of 
rice and a little cotton wool, they will increase in number 
as well as in size. It is asserted that on opening the box 
after several months, one or more small pearls will be 
found therein, and the original ones none the worse ; but 
the grains of rice will have the appearance of having 
their ends nibbled as if by rodents.” 
In China pearls appear to have been held in great 
esteem since before the Christian era. They are re- 
peatedly mentioned in the ancient literature of that 
country, but, owing to the traditional nature of some of 
these works, it is impossible to fix, with any degree of 
accuracy, the period when they were first appreciated. 
Some translators of Chinese books give a date as early as 
Ties 
72 \unz and Stevenson, of. ¢z/., p. 221. 
5 Streeter, of. czt., p. 69; Kunz and Stevenson, of. cz/., p. 296. 
