On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 55 
poses for which society in general is interested in them; and yet on 
eXamining into this subject, we are surprised to find how much we 
owe to shells, for our luxuries, our pleasures, and our tables; and 
not only are we, but the ancients were eminently their debtors. The 
object of this article is to trace and elucidate those uses, and to show, 
in connection with their natural history, in what manner shell-fish 
either of old were, or, in the present day are, turned to profit. Had 
the writer been acquainted with any work in which this had been 
done, he probably would not have attempted it now ; but in seeking 
information on the subject, he was surprised to find how meagre and 
contradictory were the statements in most of the Encyclopeedias, and 
works of general reference. In the ancient prose writers and poets, 
in books of history and commerce, in travels and scientific journals, 
he has found much information, but scattered far and wide, and not 
likely to be sought after by those who are but little interested in the 
subject, or unacquainted with the science. This he has endeavored 
to compress, as far as was possible with a regard to clearness, and by 
carefully giving the references, he has put it into the power of all to 
look to the original sources if they desire further information. 
Of all the departments of natural history, Conchology appears to 
be here the most popular: owing to the maritime connections of this 
country with all parts of the world, but especially with India and 
the South Seas, opportunities of procuring specimens are enjoyed, 
scarcely surpassed elsewhere. And although our marine shells are 
neither numerous nor generally beautiful, yet those of our rivers are 
peculiarly interesting, and they are those to which we have most 
general access. Besides, a collection of shells has advantages . over 
that of any other department ; ; they are always beautiful, they take 
up but little space, and require no art to preserve them, while by 
the Linnean arrangement, a knowledge sufficient for amusement is . 
easily acquired. But notwithstanding they are in general such fa- 
vorites, little attention seems to have been paid to their economical 
uses, and still less, if any, to the improving or becoming possessed 
of the advantages foreign countries enjoy from them. While our 
fields and farm yards are stocked with plants and animals from every 
part of the world, we have not one shell which has been intention- 
ally introduced for use. In England we are only aware of one at- 
- tempt to naturalize marine shells, and how that has succeeded we 
know ‘not; but were proper means used, there is little doubt that 
many of them would be successful. ‘There, as here, they have ani- 
