22 Beautiful Shells. 



These words are derived from tlie Latin, nnus-^ 

 one, hi — two, multus — many, and therefore it may 

 at once be seen that tliey apply to shells havinor 

 one, two, or several pieces or divisions. Valve 

 comes from the Latin valva, and means a folding 

 door, a lid, a piece moving on a hinge, as the 

 divisions in several of these shells do. 



This order of arrangement is generally followed 

 by those who make a collection of shells for a 

 cabinet ; and to this we shall adhere, as at once 

 the most simple and convenient, when we come to 

 describe the several species of testaceous mollusks. 

 "VYe vrill now say a few words on 



TAKIXG AND rRESERYIXG SHELLS. 



A diligent searcher along any beach or coast 

 line will be sure sometimes to light upon curious 

 and valuable specimens, and especially after violent 

 storms may such be sought for, with the greatest 

 chance of success, for the agitation of the waters 

 will then have loosened them from their natural 

 beds and dwelling-places, and cast them on the 

 shore. Very frequently, however, they will be so 

 beaten about and defaced, that they will be compa- 

 ratively valueless; if enveloped in tangled masses 



