On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 13 
Penemin, Pearl, is derived, as the root of it signifies red, and that 
it was from these shells the pearls used in Judea were taken ; of 
course it is impossible to decide, as oriental pearls are also found thus 
tinged, but it is not improbable. 
The derivation of the word Byssus—Sicdog, is probably Suacic, 
Jonicé for 8véig—depth, as being found in comparatively deep wa- 
ter. ‘The word Pinna has been idly supposed to be derived from the 
Latin word penna, a feather—from an imagined resemblance between 
the shell and the quill. (The Greeks, however, used the word wa 
or siwa, and must have derived it from the Hebrews. Bruce asserts, 
that in the Red Sea they live in the mud without any byssus, stick- 
ing up horizontally on the sharp end; he is, however, most probably 
mistaken. ‘They were the only shell fish that he found there not 
eatable. 
IV. Myrirus ————? (Linn.) 
There is another shell in the Red Sea, which is regularly sought 
after as containing pearls. It is a Mytilus, and appears nearly to 
resemble the M. nde: It is the rarest kind, and is chiefly found 
at the north end of the Gulf, and on the Egyptian side. The only 
place where Bruce everjsaw them, was about Cossier and to the 
northward of it, where there was an ancient port, which took its 
name Myos Hormos, the Harbor of Muscles, from their locality. 
The fish contains often pearls of great beauty for lustre and shape, 
but seldom of a white or clear water. They lie in the deepest and 
stillest water and on the softest bottom, and they stick upright by 
their extremity.t 
V. In Australasia we are told of another large pearl-bearing shell, 
but of what genus we are not able from the accounts to decide. 
It is the Menangey—occasionally denominated the New Holland 
cockle, and it produces large and beautiful pearls. Mr. Dalrymple 
mentions one belonging to Lord Pigot, which weighed 8 dwt. 17 
grains, and was 42 inch j in length, and 28 inch in diameter.f 
( T be continued.) 
* Statius Sart! 4. 6. 18.) uses the phrase ce eos sonic and some other 
writers make of the words ‘ Erythree gemma,’ for pearls, but whether from 
their red hue, (pupae) or because they were from the nine Sea, Erythreum 
Mare, is questionable. Pliny oP that the pearls from this sea in his time were 
the most orient and clear. Plin. 1x. 35. 
+ Bruce’s Abyssinia, bie 314, shit VIII. Plate 43. 
+ Burney, Chron. Hist. of Dis. I. 94. 
Vol. XXXIT.—No. 1. 10 
