82 CONCHOLOGIST’S COMPANION. 
of various experiments; to which Professor Fabricius 
adds the testimony of having seen, in the possession 
of Sir Joseph Banks, several Chinese Chamez, the 
shells of which contained bits of iron wire, covered 
with a substance of a pearly nature. These wires 
had evidently once been sharp, and it seemed as 
if the sagacious Muscles, anxious to secure them- 
selves against the intrusion of such unwelcome 
visitors, had incrusted, and thus rendered blunt, 
the points with which they came in contact. May 
not, therefore, the process employed by the ancients 
be still practised? And are we not authorized in 
conjecturing that these bits of iron, which probably 
had slipped from the hands of the Chinese workmen, 
and remained in the animals, resembled the spikes 
noticed by Philostratus as being used by the ancient 
people who inhabited the banks of the Red Sea, for 
the purpose of pricking Muscles. 
The invention of Linnzus cannot, therefore, be 
considered altogether new; though he was un- 
doubtedly the reviver of this ancient art, in Ev- 
rope. It was announced to the Swedish King and 
Council in the year 1761, with an offer of disclosure 
for the benefit of the kingdom. But various cir- 
cumstances having prevented the acceptance of his 
liberal offer, the secret was purchased by a Gottenburg 
merchant of the name of Bagge, for the sum of five 
