PEARL FISHERY AT CEYLON'. 403 



chafers often lofe many of the bed pearls, while the 

 dony is returning from the bank; for, as long as the 

 animal is alive and untouched, the Ihells are fre- 

 quently open near an inch ; and if any of them con- 

 tain a large pearl, it is eaiily diicovered and taken out 

 by means of a fmall piece of ft iff grais or bit of itick, 

 without hurting the pearl riih. In this practice they 

 are extremely expert. Some of them were diicovered 

 whillt i was there, and received their due puniihment. 



Gmelin afks if the animal of the niytilus maro-a- 

 ritiferus is an afcidia f See Lixx. Syft. Nat. torn. I. 

 p. vi. 3350. This induces me to believe that it has 

 never yet been accurately defcribed: if does not re- 

 femble the ajcuha of Linnjeus, and may, perhaps, 

 form a new genus. It is fattened to the upper and 

 lower ihells by two white flat pieces of mufcuiar fub- 

 .ftance, which arc called by Houtfuin * ears, and. extend 

 about two inches from the thick part ot the body 

 growing gradually thinner. The extremity of each 

 ear lies loofe, and is furrounded by a double brown 

 fringed line. Thefe lie almoft the third of an inch 

 from the outer part of the ihell, and are continually 

 moved by the animal. Next to thefe, above and 

 below, are iituated two other double fringed moveable 

 iubiiances, like the branchke of a filh. Thefe ears 

 and fringes are joined to a cylindrical piece of fiefh, 

 of the iize of a man's thumb, which is harder and of 

 a more mufcuiar nature than the reft of the bodv. Ir. 

 lies about the centre of the ihells, and is firmly at- 

 tached to the middle of each. This, in fac% Is that 

 part of the pearl fiih which ferves to open and fh 

 the fhells. Where this column is fattened, we find 

 on the rlefh deep impreilions, and on the ftiell vari- 

 ous nodes of round or oblong forms, like irnperfeel 

 pearls. Between this part, and the hinge (cardo), 

 lies the principal body of the animal, fepai 



* Vide Houtt Nat. Hift. Vol I. p, %y. p. 381, I 



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