626 HISTORY AND METHODS OF *HE FISHERIES. 



and reshipped to the United States, where they are valued as mantle ornaments, toilet-soap basins 

 card-cases, and receptacles for flowers. The same work is done to some extent in San Francisco. 

 Mr. Lockington reports that many are there manufactured into combs of various descriptions, per- 

 ticularly ladies high hair-combs of great elegance and costliness, for which there is a large demand. 



At San Diego, according to Prof. Jordan's notes, one gentleman sold about $1,500 worth of 

 polished shells during 1S79, at from 25 cents to $5 each according to size and beauty. Most of 

 these were sent to the East by mail in " nests" of four to six, at $2 to $5 per nest. Many are 

 also sold to tourists. In polishing, the young of Haliotis spltndens are treated with diluted hydro- 

 chloric acid. Other species and the adult of splendens are ground down on stones by hand, until 

 the rough exterior is removed and the lustrous under-layers are revealed. Steam grinding wears 

 them away too fast and holes result, unless the operator is very careful. After grinding, the 

 shells are varnished. 



Some persons suppose that the four, six, or eight round holes which are seen along the ridge 

 at one side of the abalone shell are designed by the man who polished it. But this is a mistake. 

 Through those holes, when the animal sits close down upon the rock, he derives the pure water 

 necessary for his breathing. From them also protrude little horns or feelers, by which he is warned 

 of the approach of any danger. 



To the Indians of California the haliotis was very valuable. They wore it as an ornament 

 about their necks and in their hair. The tribes of the interior were so attracted by its glitter that 

 they were willing to pay a large price in barter to possess it. A horse was not an infrequent price 

 for a fine shell. The coast tribes also made from them beads and coin of different values and 

 shapes. These were all made from the red backed abalone, Haliotis rufescens. Mr. Stephen 

 Powers, describing this shell money, says : 



" The uhllo pieces are of a uniform size on the same string; they do not mix them. The dollar 

 pieces are generally about one and "a fourth inches long and an inch wide, the smaller about as 

 long, but narrower. A couple of fragments I picked up in an old Indian camp are worth 25 cents 

 each. The Indians are very ingenious and economical in working up the aulones. Wherever there 

 is a broad flat space they take out a dollar piece ; where the curve is sharp, a smaller one. They 

 especially value the outer edge of the whorl or lip, where the color is brilliant, and these they are 

 obliged to cut in 25-cent pieces. You wlil see that the uhllo is cut into pieces of different sizes, 

 and even pieces of the same size vary in value according to their brilliancy. * * * All the 

 money that I have seen was strung on grocery twine, but they often use sinews of various kinds, 

 also the outer bark of a weed called milkweed about here. 



" The nhllo necklace has three or four strings of very small glass beads above the shells, 

 forming a band about one-quarter of an inch wide, which encircle the neck." 



