273 



CHAPTER XVII. 



PEARL OYSTER. ENGLISH PEARLS. AGE OF OYSTER. GREEN 



OYSTER. OYSTERS OF LAKE FUSARO. PILGRIM'S SCALLOP. 



VENUS MERCKNARIA. PHOLAS. SOLEN. TELLINA. CARD1UM. 



COWRIE, DIFFERENT SPECIES. COLORING MATTER OF SHELLS. 



HELIX JANTHINA. BULIMUS PERIWINKLE. STROMBUS GIGAS. 



CAMEO. NAUTILUS. PORCELLANEOUS AND MOTHER-o'-PEARL 

 SHELLS. TEMPLE OF SERAPIS. TEREDO. SPONGE FISHERY. 



" Lo! these are but a little portion of His wonders. Every shell 

 is like an open book; every painted sea-weed has a lesson written in 

 its leaves. God is in every place; He speaks in every sound we hear; 

 He is seen in all that our eyes behold." 



FREDERICK. 



ESTHER, I have been looking over your collection of shells, 

 and I wish you would come with me, and tell me some things 

 which I want to know. 



ESTHER. 



With pleasure. 



HENRIETTA. 



Then, in the first place, which is the oyster that produces 

 the pearll 



ESTHElf. 



It is this (Mytilus margaritiferus). The pearls from 

 Ceylon are, I believe, considered the best. The fisheries are 

 commonly rented by one individual, who is allowed to em- 

 ploy a hundred and fifty boats for thirty days. The 20th of 

 February is the day of rendezvous; the banks cover a space of 

 thirty miles by twenty-four; and six thousand people are em- 



