Industrial and Manufacturing Uses of Shells. 30 1 



papalis, and others out of Mitra episcopalis and species of 

 Ccr it hium and Terebra. 



The beautiful shell of the Nautilus pompilius is often 

 mounted on a stand, with designs engraved on it, and used 

 for holding flowers. The shell of the pearly nautilus is 

 made into a drinking cup by the inhabitants of the East. 

 The outer coating of the shell being first removed, so as to 

 render visible the pearly layer, various devices are often 

 engraved on it. 



At the first London International Exhibition, a curious 

 specimen of patient toil was shown by a working man 

 of the name of Wood, in an engraved nautilus shell dedi- 

 cated to the memory of Nelson, the only instrument he 

 had employed being a small penknife. On the front was 

 represented the globe, with Britannia seated upon a lion, and 

 possessed of the usual emblems of sovereignty, surrounded 

 with a border composed of oak-leaves and acorns most 

 elaborately engraved. Upon each side were a number 

 of lines from Fitzgerald, commemorative of the victories 

 of Nelson, so small, however, that they almost required 

 the aid of a microscope to decipher them ; and on one side 

 of the shell was a representation of Peace, seated on the 

 prow of a vessel, pointing to the victories achieved by 

 the hero. On the other was represented St. George and the 

 Dragon. The head of the shell represented that of a 

 parrot. The designs were most artistic, and the execution 

 remarkably fine. The same ingenious artist had a short 

 time before presented to her Majesty a similar shell, on 

 which were designed, with the same rude graver, the royal 

 arms, the Prince of Wales's feathers, the Great Britain and 

 the Great Western steam-ships, with a full description of 

 the same ; also several verses from Pope, amounting alto- 

 gether to about 1500 words, which were tastefully en- 



