On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 55 



poses for which society in general is interested in them ; and yet on 

 examining into this subject, we are surprised to find how much we 

 owe to shells, for our luxuries, our pleasures, and our tables ; and 

 not only are we, but the ancients were eminently their debtors. The 

 object of this article is to trace and elucidate those uses, and to show, 

 in connection with their natural history, in what manner shell-fish 

 either of old were, or, in the present day are, turned to profit. Had 

 the writer been acquainted with any work in which this had been 

 done, he probably would not have attempted it now ; but in seeking 

 information on the subject, he was surprised to find how meagre and 

 contradictory were the statements in most of the Encyclopoedias, and 

 works of general reference. In the ancient prose writers and poets, 

 in books of history and commerce, in travels and scientific journals, 

 he has found much infoi'mation, but scattered far and wide, and not 

 likely to be sought after by those who are but little interested in the 

 subject, or unacquainted with the science. This he has endeavored 

 to compress, as far as was possible with a regard to clearness, and by 

 carefully giving the references, he has put it into the power of all to 

 look to the original sources if they desire further information. 



Of all the departments of natural history, Conchology appears to 

 be here the most popular : owing to the maritime connections of this 

 country with all parts of the world, but especially with India and 

 the South Seas, opportunities of procuring specimens are enjoyed, 

 scarcely surpassed elsewhere. And although our marine shells are 

 neither numerous nor generally beautiful, yet those of our rivers are 

 peculiarly interesting, and they are those to which we have most 

 general access. Besides, a collection of shells has advantages over 

 that of any other department ; they are always beautiful, they take 

 up but little space, and require no art to preserve them, while by 

 the Linnean arrangement, a knowledge sufficient for amusement is 

 easily acquired. But notwithstanding they are in general such fa- 

 vorites, little attention seems to have been paid to their economical 

 uses, and still less, if any, to the improving or becoming possessed 

 of the advantages foreign countries enjoy from them. While our 

 fields and farm yards are stocked with plants and animals from every 

 part of the world, we have not one shell which has been intention- 

 ally introduced for use. In England we are only aware of one at- 

 tempt to naturalize marine shells, and how that has succeeded we 

 know not ; but were proper means used, there is little doubt that 

 many of them would be successful. There, as here, they have ani- 



