12 MUSSELS OF BIG BUFFALO FOEK OF WHITE RIVER. 



culata^ scarce; red shell, Lmnjjsilis purpuratus^ common; green mug- 

 get, red mugget, grass mucket, L. Ugamentimis, abundant. 



Along the river on its outer bends a few very small beds were ob- 

 served. Owing to the small number of shells, deeper water, and the 

 large rocks, these beds were not worked by pearlers. 



Station 23. — August 5. About 2 miles below camp N was found 

 the largest bed observed. It was being worked by two men and two 

 women who live near by and hunt pearls a portion of the time in 

 July and August when their crops do not need their attention. They 

 reported that pearls collected by them during the summer months 

 brought them about $300. Mr. Samuel W. Jones, Rush, Ark., one of 

 the men, stated that if all the shells found in one season were taken 

 from the bed just as many would be found the next year. From this 

 bed they estimated they would take about 25 bushels of shells. They 

 had just begun work for the season. The most abundant species 

 found here is Lampsilis Ugamentimis, which, according to Mr. Jones, 

 contains the most pearls. At this place this species was more abun- 

 dant than all others combined. 



Shells found at station 23 : Rock mussel, washboard, Qimdrula 

 undulata, scarce; Unio gihhosus, scarce; fantail, Tritogo7ua tuher- 

 culata, common ; green mugget, red mugget, gi^ass mucket, Lampsilis 

 J/lgamentinus, abundant. 



Station 24- — August 5. About 1 mile above the Red Cloud mine 

 we passed a bed of shells where pearl hunters had been, but it was 

 very small compared to the above. 



On all outward bends of the river were small beds, but these were 

 passed by by pearl hunters, no doubt because shells were scarce, and 

 on account of the rocks and deeper water they were difficult to get 

 in any numbers. A short distance above and below the mouth of 

 Rush Creek were small beds, the latter being worked by pearl 

 hunters. No collection was made from these beds. 



Shells found at station 24 : Red niggerhead, Quadrida tuherculata^ 

 scarce; cobshell, rabbit's foot, Q. cylindrical, common; rock mussel, 

 washboard, Q. imdidata, common; Uiiio gihhosus, common; sand 

 mussel, Symphynota costata, scarce; fantail, Tritogonia tuhercidata^ 

 scarce; red shell, Lampsilis purpiiratiis ; L. ozarkeiisis, abundant; 

 L. planicostatus, 1 specimen; spectacle case, L. rectus, scarce; L. 

 venustus, scarce; green mugget, red mugget, grass mucket, L. liga- 

 7nentinus, abundant; butterfly, L. ventricosus, scarce; Z. hrevicidus 

 hrittsl, scarce. 



Station 25. — August 6. About 2| miles below Red Cloud mine a 

 large bed was found which had been recently visited by pearl 

 hunters. On the shore were about 10 bushels of recently opened 

 shells, from which a collection was made. On recently worked beds 

 live shells were not easily found, for the pearlers aim to get every- 

 thing. 



