The Pearl Molluscs of the Persian Gulf. 31 
exception of Mr Streeter’s work on “ Pearls and Pearling 
Life,” published in 1886, in which he puts the matter more 
- nearly in accordance with the actual facts. All previous 
writers about the pearl have called the Avicula (Meleagrina) 
margaritifera the pearl-oyster, and have left it to be inferred 
that this is the only pearl-yielding molluse of any import- 
ance. Mr Streeter says that the finest pearls are got from it, 
but that they are not numerous, and adds that the largest 
quantity of medium-sized pearls are obtained from as es 
Jucata, which he calls the pearl-oyster. 
A short time ago a firm of merchants (Messrs antl 
Dawes, & Co.), who have been for many years exporting 
various products from the Persian Gulf—among them pearls 
and pearl shells—sent a number of specimens of shells of the 
molluses fished for in the Gulf to the Museum of Science 
and Artin Edinburgh. These are distinguished commercially 
as five kinds, but in reality there are only three species, Mr 
Edgar A. Smith, of the British Museum, having kindly 
examined and named them. Their native and scientific 
names are :— 
“ Sadafi,” or mother-of-pearl jen (Meleagrina) mar- 
shells, garitifera. 
“ Zinneo,’ mussel shell, large 
Avicula macroptera. 
and small,. \ 
“ Mahar,” oyster shell, large 
Avi + ie 
and small, . \ vicula (Meleagrina) fucata. 
In the notes sent from Bushire along with the specimens, 
it is stated that both “Zinneo” (Avicula macroptera) and 
“ Mahar” (A. fucata) are fished for pearls, but that the finest 
of these are obtained from the latter. No mention is made 
of Avicula (Meleagrina) margaritifera yielding pearls at all, 
although no doubt some will be occasionally got from it. 
_ The “ Zinneo” shells being large and thick, are valuable for 
their mother-of-pearl, and the Avicula margaritifera is more 
valuable in this respect, being known as the mother-of-pearl 
shell, The “ Mahar” (A. fucata) shells are of comparatively 
little value. : 
