12 JANUARY. 



The interior of the shell has a glory of quite another 

 character. It is covered with a coat of nacre or pearl, 

 of exceedingly brilliant and rich lustre, and the presence 

 of this inward peaiiiness is quite characteristic of this 

 genus, and of most of the others belonging to the same 

 family, the Turbinidce. Many of the fine large tropical 

 species are specially conspicuous for this adornment, as 

 I have seen in those that lie along the dazzling beach 

 of coral- sand in lovely Jamaica. The pearl of these 

 shells is used in the arts. De Montfort mentions a 

 necklace which he had seen, that was made out of the 

 nacred part of the shell of the Turbo smaragdus, and 

 which was much more brilliant and beautiful than any 

 of the finest orient pearls. 1 And Chenu observes : 

 " Les grandes especes fournissent une fort belle nacre, 

 employee pour les ouvrages de marqueterie. Quelques 

 especes ont reu des noms sous lesquels les marchands 

 les distinguent : il y a le Burgau ou Nacre ; la Veuve 

 Perle"e, dont les tubercles exte"rieurs uses ressemblent a 

 des perles ; la Bouche-d'Or, dont la nacre est d'un beau 

 jaune dore; la Bouche-d'Argent ; le Perroquet, ou Turbo 

 Imperial," etc. 2 



At another time we may examine the structure of 

 shell, and inquire by what instruments and with what 

 materials the ingenious animal contrives to construct 



1 Conch. St/st. ii. 252. * Lef. Etem. 188. 



