How TO PROSPECT FOR PEARLS 103 



other, The Aspidogaster conchicola, is very similar to the 

 one just mentioned. 



The common leech is not so numerous, but is also a 

 parasite which affects the mussels. There are several 

 others, but these three are especially noticeable, and 

 pearl hunters should examine the shells to see if these 

 small parasites are plentiful. 



The parasites prefer to live in shallow, warm and 

 quiet pools rather than in the deep, cool, swift currents 

 of rivers. 



The placid shallow water between an island and the 

 nearest shore is an excellent location for them to get a 

 start, and, a little farther down the stream on the same 

 side, if deeper water can be found, it will be one of the 

 best places to hunt for fine pearls, for the reason that 

 the mussels seem to gradually move down stream into 

 deeper water as they grow older and larger. 



The author has hunted for pearls in places of this 

 kind. An excellent example of such a pearl fishery is to 

 be found near the east shore of the Mississippi River* 

 a little more than a mile south of Rapids City, Illinois. 

 Mr. Cumber, an expert pearl hunter who lives near 

 there, has been very fortunate in hunting for pearls in 

 that pearl fishery. He has found a number of very fine 

 pearls, besides large quantities of baroques and slugs. 

 His favorite method of fishing for shells is to use the 

 long handled fork from a boat in the summer, and from 

 the ice in the winter. In taking less than four tons 'of 

 shells while fishing through the ice he found $400.00 

 worth of pearls. Since he first began pearl hunting in 



