﻿MUSSEL 
  RESOURCES 
  OF 
  THE 
  ILLINOIS 
  RIVER. 
  33 
  

  

  CLASSIFICATION 
  OF 
  PEARLS. 
  

  

  There 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  no 
  definite 
  standard 
  or 
  classification 
  for 
  the 
  

   ahnost 
  unlimited 
  variety 
  of 
  shapes 
  and 
  kinds 
  of 
  pearls 
  and 
  slugs, 
  

   and 
  even 
  on 
  the 
  different 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  same 
  river 
  the 
  irregular 
  nacreous 
  

   formations 
  are 
  variously 
  named 
  by 
  the 
  pearlers 
  and 
  buyers, 
  according 
  

   as 
  fancy 
  directs 
  or 
  to 
  the 
  resemblance 
  to 
  some 
  familiar 
  object. 
  At 
  

   times 
  the 
  classification 
  is 
  made 
  under 
  three 
  heads 
  — 
  pearls, 
  baroques, 
  

   and 
  slugs, 
  each 
  class 
  with 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  subdivisions 
  depending 
  for 
  

   names 
  upon 
  the 
  particular 
  shape 
  of 
  the 
  pieces; 
  and 
  at 
  other 
  timas 
  

   there 
  are 
  but 
  two 
  heads 
  — 
  pearls 
  and 
  slugs. 
  The 
  following 
  are 
  the 
  

   names 
  and 
  classifications 
  generally 
  usetl 
  on 
  the 
  Illinois 
  and 
  includes 
  

   most 
  of 
  the 
  different 
  kinds 
  of 
  pearls 
  found 
  there: 
  

  

  Pearls: 
  

  

  Ball 
  or 
  round 
  pearls 
  are 
  those 
  which 
  are 
  spherical 
  in 
  shape. 
  

  

  Pear 
  pearls, 
  including 
  the 
  drop, 
  the 
  egg, 
  and 
  the 
  top 
  pearls, 
  depend 
  for 
  the 
  name 
  

  

  upon 
  the 
  resemblance 
  in 
  shape 
  to 
  a 
  pear, 
  egg, 
  or 
  top. 
  

   Button 
  pearls, 
  shaped 
  somewhat 
  like 
  a 
  button, 
  biscuit, 
  or 
  saucer, 
  have 
  a 
  more 
  

  

  or 
  less 
  arched 
  top 
  and 
  a 
  flattish 
  bottom. 
  

   Capsule 
  pearls 
  have 
  a 
  shape 
  bearing 
  a 
  resemblance 
  to 
  a 
  cylindrical 
  medicine 
  

  

  capsule 
  such 
  as 
  is 
  used 
  for 
  quinine. 
  

   Banded 
  pearls 
  are 
  oblong 
  in 
  shape, 
  with 
  ridges 
  and 
  grooves 
  around 
  the 
  middle 
  

  

  portion 
  which 
  have 
  the 
  appearance 
  of 
  bands. 
  

   Cone 
  pearls 
  have 
  a 
  flattish 
  bottom 
  with 
  the 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  pearl 
  running 
  to 
  an 
  appex 
  

  

  like 
  a 
  cone. 
  

   Baroque 
  pearls 
  include 
  a 
  great 
  variety 
  of 
  forms 
  which 
  are 
  irregular 
  in 
  shape 
  with- 
  

   out 
  any 
  particular 
  pattern. 
  

   Rosebud 
  pearls 
  are 
  of 
  various 
  shapes, 
  usually 
  having 
  a 
  flattish 
  base; 
  the 
  upper 
  

  

  portion 
  is 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  covered 
  with 
  small 
  protuberances, 
  giving 
  it 
  at 
  times 
  a 
  

  

  somewhat 
  warty 
  appearance. 
  

   Turtle-back 
  pearls 
  have 
  a 
  rather 
  flat 
  base 
  and 
  a 
  low 
  arched 
  top, 
  resembling 
  some- 
  

   what 
  the 
  back 
  of 
  a 
  turtle. 
  

   Besides 
  these 
  forms, 
  there 
  may 
  be 
  mentioned 
  the 
  dumb-bell, 
  the 
  cylinder, 
  the 
  

  

  twin 
  pearls, 
  etc., 
  which 
  are 
  occasionally 
  found. 
  

   Mlugs: 
  

  

  Spikes 
  or 
  points, 
  including 
  wings, 
  are 
  usually 
  placed 
  under 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  slugs, 
  

  

  although 
  if 
  they 
  are 
  of 
  sufficient 
  size 
  they 
  are 
  sold 
  as 
  single 
  pieces. 
  Spikes 
  

  

  or 
  points 
  are 
  usually 
  long, 
  flat, 
  and 
  often 
  pointed 
  pearls 
  found 
  near 
  the 
  lateral 
  

  

  hinge 
  of 
  the 
  shell, 
  while 
  wings 
  are 
  broad, 
  flattish 
  pearls 
  bearing 
  a 
  resemblance 
  

  

  to 
  the 
  wings 
  of 
  a 
  bird. 
  

   Nuggets 
  and 
  chunks 
  are 
  often 
  classed 
  together, 
  with 
  the 
  difference 
  that 
  the 
  

  

  chunks 
  are 
  much 
  larger. 
  They 
  are 
  irregular 
  pearly 
  formations 
  resembling 
  

  

  somewhat 
  a 
  gold 
  nugget 
  in 
  shape. 
  

   Slugs 
  include 
  irregular 
  pearls 
  having 
  no 
  particular 
  name 
  and 
  without 
  much 
  

  

  value 
  and 
  called 
  "mixed;" 
  also 
  small 
  or 
  seed 
  pearls, 
  "chicken 
  feed," 
  etc. 
  

  

  Slugs 
  of 
  this 
  class 
  are 
  usually 
  sold 
  by 
  troy 
  weight, 
  and 
  are 
  worth, 
  according 
  to 
  

  

  quality, 
  from 
  $3 
  to 
  $3.50 
  per 
  ounce. 
  

  

  The 
  ball, 
  the 
  pear, 
  and 
  the 
  button 
  pearls 
  are 
  the 
  most 
  valuable, 
  

   although 
  the 
  capsule 
  and 
  some 
  other 
  forms 
  often 
  command 
  a 
  high 
  

   f 
  rice 
  if 
  they 
  be 
  symmetrical 
  in 
  shape 
  and 
  of 
  fair 
  size 
  and 
  good 
  luster. 
  

  

  