4OO The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



drinking-cups of the Scandinavian monarchs, and they may 

 often be met with, elegantly mounted in silver and set with 

 jewels, in museums. Small shells of another species, the 

 Turk's cap (Turbo sarmaticus), are sometimes set as pipe- 

 bowls, and sections are much used for making little fancy 

 boxes, purses, caskets, scent-bottles, postage-stamp cases, 

 tablet-covers, small baskets with metallic handles, buttons, 

 earrings, ring-trays, brooches, etc. 



The beautiful effects presented by the nacreous portion 

 of shells is produced, as we have seen, by the disposition 

 of single membranaceous layers in folds or plaits, lying 

 more or less obliquely to the general surface. The tints of 

 many shells are concealed during life by a dull external 

 coat, and the pearly halls of the nautilus are seen by no 

 other eyes than ours. This shell, when bisected, displays 

 the pearly chambers for which the genus is celebrated. 

 Fine specimens of the nautilus are often converted by the 

 inhabitants of the East into drinking-cups, on the surface 

 of which they engrave various devices and ornaments. 

 When the outer coating (which is usually of a dingy white 

 colour) is entirely removed, the beautiful pearly appearance 

 of the shell becomes visible. Sometimes the nautilus shell 

 is mounted as a stand for flowers on the table or mantel- 

 piece. 



Pearl shells are often employed for ornamentation in 

 the papier-mache manufacture work, which, though it has 

 gone much out of fashion in this country, is still in exten- 

 sive demand in America and on the continent. The 

 articles chiefly made are small fancy tables, chairs, trays, 

 portfolio covers, and such like. There are two ways of 

 employing the pieces of pearl shell. When a considerable 

 number of pieces of thin shell are required of the same 

 size and pattern, they are cemented together with glue, 



