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= : 
66 On the Economical Uscs of some specics of Testacea. 
one time very productive, but some years ago it entirely failed; and 
though it has been lately (1925) resumed, the success has been 
small.* These sudden failures occasionally occur in most banks,t 
but we have not met with any satisfactory explanation of the cause. 
In the Red Sea this species holds the first rank among pearls, and 
is called the Lulu el Berber—i. e. the pearl of Berber, or Beja, 
the country of the shepherds. 
ses.—Besides the pearls, the shell and fish are both used. . The 
former in the manufacture of knives—for inlaying, in the construct- 
ing of ornaments, &c.; and the latter as food. The nacre is gene- 
rally separated from the external part by the lapidary’s mill or aqua 
fortis, and cut up by instruments made expressly for the purpose.§ 
The inlaying of mother of pearl has been brought to high perfection 
at Jerusalem ; great quantities of the shell are carried daily from the 
Red Sea to that place, and of these, all the fine works—the crucifixes, 
the wafer boxes, and the beads are made, which are sent to the cath- 
olic countries of South America.1 We may suppose the Romans 
were ignorant of this art, as Pliny makes no mention of it. The fish 
is eaten by the lower classes of the Singhalese, either fresh in their 
curries, or cured by drying. In this latter state they are carried to 
the coast of Hindoostan and disposed of there.|| In the Island of 
Gorgona also, they are used by the Indians and Spaniards, and hung 
on strings todry. If eaten raw they taste coppery ; but when boiled 
are considered good.** The aborigines of California were ignorant 
of the use of the pearl, but they used the fish, throwing it on the fire 
to get at it and cook it.j; It is said also, that on the: discovery of 
Mexico, the Spaniards found these gems in use and esteemed by the 
Indians, but that from the same manner of killing the animal their 
color and lustre were destroyed. In the Society Islands, the Indians 
manufacture their fish-hooks out of this shell, the glitter of which 
serves instead of bait.{{ 
* Heber, II. 1 
3 Dictiodinaire Tniverselle de Ja Geographie, par J. Peuchet, Art. CeyLon. 
t Bruce, VII. 323. 
§ Ency. ‘Ameri. Art. Nacre. 
@ Bruce, VII. 322 
it eas oon rches, ut supra. 
_ ** Burn 68. 
/ ott Hist, ye 1. 49. 
$ Ellis’ oe Researches, I. 146. 
ep 
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