INTRODUCTION. XV 



but what is the produce of the sea; and shell-fish fill no 

 unimportant station in the immense catalogue of its pro- 

 duct. Whole tracts of country^ inhabited by Indians, 

 have little or no means of obtaining their daily pittance, 

 but that arising from their success in taking shell and o- 

 ther fish. 



The nutritive and delicious food afforded by oysters, 

 scallops, muscles, and cockles, is too well known to re- 

 quire further detail. Some of the Buccina (as the En- 

 glish Whelk or Whilk) are also accounted excellent 

 eating. 



In many countries which do not produce limestone, 

 shells are collected in great quantities, and after having 

 been calcined, afford a most desirable substitute for that 

 useful material ; in this state they are also considered ex- 

 cellent as manure. 



The Indians frequently convert shells into domestic and 

 defensive implements ; the South-sea islanders, for exam- 

 ple, make fish-hooks, head their javelins with, and ma- 

 nufacture different sorts of tools of them. Their principal 

 ornaments are also often studded or embossed with rows 

 and groups of shells, artfully disposed, in regular order, 

 and are worn as bracelets or armlets, and commonly form 

 handsome appendages for the ears. 



The Chinese convert shells, that are pearly when un- 

 coated, into various articles of domestic economy, such as 

 drinking cups, ewers, &c. &c. &c. and the Indian cabi- 

 nets, so famous for their beauty and exquisite workman- 

 ship, are chiefly composed of mother-of-pearl, judicious- 

 ly inlaid and blended with tortoise-shell and other sub- 

 stances. 



Shells of the Bivalve order, are famous for the produc- 

 tion of pearls, the beauty and value of which can perhaps 



