40 NOTES. 



These curious shell fish possess the property of emitting a phos- 

 jihorescent liquor, which shines with brilliancy, [and illuminates 

 whatever it touches. Ancient naturalists noticed tliis remarkable 

 fact. Pliny, in particular, observes, that the Pholas shines in 

 the mouth of the person who eats it, and renders tlie hands and 

 clothes luminous when brought into contact with them. The lu- 

 minous quality of the Pholas, is in 'proportion to its freshness, 

 and even when in a dry state, the quality may be revived by the 

 application of fresh, or salt water, but brandy immediately ex - 

 tinguishes it ; a single Pholas renders seven ounces of milk so 

 beautifully luminous, that surrounding objects are rendered visi- 

 ble by its light. This luminous quality entirely disappears when 

 the milk which contains it is excluded from the air, but again 

 revives on exposure to the atmosphere. — Maue. 



Note ^ page 8, line 1. 

 Illustrious Mya ! once the pride 

 Of Conivay's gently flowing tide. 



The Mya Margaritifera, is particularly alluded to ; in it beauti- 

 ful and costly pearls are occasionally found. The river Conwav, 

 in Wales, was formerly famous for producing pearls of great size 

 and value. — Linnceus. 



Considerable pearl fisheries formerly subsisted on several of our 

 rivers, particularly the Conway, and Esk. Sir Richard Winne, 

 of Gwydir, Chamberlain to Catherine, Queen of Charles II, pre- 

 sented her Majesty with a valuable gem, taken from the Conway, 

 which was placed, and still continues, in the royal diadem, a 

 beautiful specimen of the English pearl. It is recorded by 

 Suetonius, that the reports which had reached Rome, concerning 

 British pearls, were the actuating motives which induced Ca?sar 

 to attempt the conquest of the Island. — Pennant's British Zoology. 



