160 FEARLS AND PEARLING 



shell has a brighter color and irridescence than the rest 

 of the shell and the pearls have the same color and bril- 

 liancy as the portion of the shell nearest to them when 

 found. 



Large valuable "cripples" contain large pearls, unless 

 these have been lost. The small valuable "cripples" do 

 not contain large pearls, although they often contain val- 

 uable small ones. 



The pearls which are found are not always valuable. 

 Sometimes a large distorted shell will yield a very imper- 

 fect pearl. While the valuable "cripple" evidently con- 

 tains a pearl, and the size of the shell and the distorted 

 condition are indications of the size of the pearl, there 

 are no other outward indications of its value. 



Often a small distorted shell will yield a pearl of great 

 value. In extremely rare instances the worthless "crip- 

 ples" have yielded pearls, but they were small and of 

 little value. It seems that the worthless "cripple" is un- 

 able to hold the pearl in its shells, and a pearl that hap- 

 pens to start growing on the wrong side of the animal, 

 becomes lost, although the irregular growth of the shell 

 must necessarily continue, gradually decreasing in rug- 

 gedness and distinctness after the pearl has been lost. 



The winter rest lines and the irregularities of the ex- 

 terior of the "crippled" shells often tell an interesting 

 story of the mussel's life. The worthless "cripple," 

 which is illustrated, probably held a pearl for awhile. 

 The deerhorn on the exterior of the original shell be- 

 comes very prominent and irregular until it has passed 

 the fifth winter rest line, while from there to the edge 



