SHELLS AND THEIR ANIMALS. 211 



Mollusks for want of water, keep their shells 

 open, he stations himself on the sea shore, aware 

 of the danger of inserting his paws between the 

 valves, he drops in a stone or two, by which 

 he prevents their closing, and is enabled to 

 extract his prey with impunity. The shells 

 also of Testaceous animals are useful in various 

 ways. In America the greatest quantity of 

 the lime used for agricultural and architectural 

 purposes is made of calcined shells. The public 

 streets of Christianstadt and Santa Cruz are 

 paved with the Strombus Gigas. 



In uncivilized countries the natives not only 

 delight to deck their persons with shells, but 

 where the working of iron is still unknown, 

 they often employ shells as its substitute, and 

 convert them into agricultural or domestic im- 

 plements, and also warlike instruments. The 

 military horn of many of the African tribes is 

 formed of the Murex Tritonis. The blue and 

 white belts of the Indians of North America, 

 used as symbols of peace and amity, in oppo- 

 sition to the war hatchet, is made from the Venus 

 Mercenaria ; and the gorget of the chieftain's 

 dress, is constructed of the Mytilus Margarati- 

 ferus. Among the Friendly Isles the permission 

 to wear the Cyprsea Aurantia or Orange Cowry 

 marks the highest rank of the country. The 

 Cypraea Moneta or Money Cowry is the current 

 money of many nations of India and Africa, 

 and the liberty of a man is often bartered for* 

 a certain weight of these shells. In Grecian 

 p 2 



