and the Maritime Provinces. *" 



point " ! As he spoke he pointed to a little beach on a point that made out 

 into the lake close to our canoe. 



" Yes," I replied, "they are the shells of one of the species of Unio; 

 the muskrats have dug them out of their aquatic homes and have eaten 

 them here." 



" These fresh-water clams," continued the Doctor, as the canoe 

 grounded on the beach and we stepped ashore, " are much hunted in some 

 localities for the pearls they contain." 



"Yes," I replied, " I have often opened them for pearls, and have, in 

 fact, found a few small ones, but none of any value. As you see, they 

 resemble salt-water mussels somewhat in shape, but are handsomer in 

 appearance, and they sometimes grow to a considerable size, specimens of 

 five or six inches in length being occasionally found. A small proportion 

 of them contain pearls, and once in awhile a valuable one is taken." 



Many instances of the discovery of these have been recorded in New 

 England and the provinces, and amateur pearl-hunters have sometimes 

 made very satisfactory incomes. 



In some of the southern rivers, also, the mussels are very abundant, 

 particularly the Cumberland river in Kentucky, where they are systemati- 

 cally sought for by professional hunters, and specimens worth from $75 to 

 $100 each are often obtained. 



In one instance a pearl was found in that river which sold for the 

 handsome sum of $500, but of course such valuable gems as that are rare. 



In searching for pearls, the hunter secures the mussels by wading on 

 the bars and drawing them with a rake or other implement from their 

 sandy beds. 



The shells are pried open carefully with a stick, cut something like an 

 old-fashioned clothespin, and the inside is explored with the finger to ascer- 

 tain if any pearls are present. They are found close to the mouth of the 

 mussel between the flesh and the shell ; as soon as the examination is made, 

 the oyster is returned to its native element, where it remains until it is 

 again raked out and examined. 



Most of the pearls that are found are worthless, on account of their 

 small size, irregular form or poor color, but there are great numbers secured 

 that are marketable, varying in dimensions from the size of a pinhead to 

 that of a pea, and bringing from fifty cents to as many dollars apiece. 



The pearl is produced in the oyster and the mussel by the introduction 

 of some foreign substance, such as a grain of sand, a fragment of gravel, 

 or any other small object that causes irritation to the flesh of the animal. 



As long as the annoying presence of this object is felt, the mussel 

 begins to deposit a covering of nacre, or mother-of-pearl, upon it, in order 

 to render it smooth and consequently less irritating to its delicate flesh, and 



