APPENDIX. 315 



&c. which have only one in the middle. The common 

 method of fifhing for thefe mufcles, was by wading 

 into the water in fummer, and thrufting flicks into the 

 opening of the (hells to take them up ; this, however, 

 could only be done in fhallow water, whereas the 

 large/I fifti, and the greateft number, were found in 

 deep jinooth water. This bufmefs now is nearly given 

 up, nor are the pearls found of fufficient value to tempt 

 people, for the chance of finding them, from their more 

 regular and more profitable occupations. The pearls 

 found were generally of a muddy colour, and fome- 

 tjmes full of fpecks, which very much diminifhed their 

 value. Pearls have been found in the county of Tyrone, 

 of confiderable price, fo early as the latter end/ of the 

 feventeenth century, as appears by a letter of Sir 

 Robert Reading to the Royal Society in Oftober 1688. 

 One of thefe, bought from a miller for four pounds ten 

 Shillings, was afterwards fold for forty pounds to Lady 

 Glerawly, who refufed eighty pounds for it from the 

 old Dutchefs of Ormond. 



The introduction of frogs into this county, from 

 whence they have fpread ki fuch numbers through the 

 reft of the kingdom, though in itfelf a fubjeft of no 

 importance, muft form a curious and interefling object 

 in the eyes of a naturalift. That they are not indi- 

 genous, and that they firft made their appearance near 

 Moira, in the weftern parts of this county, can be 

 proved beyond contradiction ; but by whom they were 

 $ s 2 firfl; 



