THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



Facing the entrance are shells of the giant clam, Tridacna 

 gigas, measuring forty-three inches by twenty-seven inches 

 and weighing 579 pounds. These were found near the 

 Philippine Islands. They are used as holy-water fonts and 

 bird baths. Formerly axe-heads and chisels were made 

 from the thicker portions. 



The wall cases on the south side contain a series showing 

 the classification of mollusks; the eight table cases at the 

 south and north ends of the hall, the land shells; the rail 

 cases on the north, east and west, the bivalves, or mollusks 

 with two shells, like the oyster, clam and scallop; the indi- 

 vidual metal cases, univalves, those mollusks having but 

 one shell or valve. 



The south section of the rail cases, behind the "big 

 shells," Tridacna, contains a series of unusually large and 

 fine examples of the various species represented and also a 

 typical collection of the cypraeas or cowries. 



At the rear of the hall is a number of shells showing or- 

 namental and decorative uses, together with a number of 

 deformed, abnormal and curious shells, the deformations of 

 which are attributed to internal (physiological) or external 

 (physical) causes. Other cases contain specimens illus- 

 trating the anatomy and habits of mollusks. 



Maps and labels on the walls show the distribution and 

 importance of the many families of mollusks exhibited. 



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