66 On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 



one time very productive, but some years ago it eatirely failed ; and 

 though it has been lately (1825) resumed, the success has beers 

 small.* These sudden failures occasionally occur in most banks,f 

 but we have not met with any satisfactory explanation of the cause.- 

 In the Red Sea this species holds the first rank among pearls, and 

 is called the Lulu el Berber — i. e. the pearl of Berber, or Beja, 

 the country of the shepherds.^ 



Uses. — Besides the pearls, the shell and fish are both used. The 

 former in the manufacture of kniv^es — for inlaying, in the construct- 

 ing of ornaments, &c. ; and the latter as food. The nacre is gene- 

 rally separated from the external part by the lapidary's mill or aqua 

 fortis, and cut up by instruments made expressly for the purpose. <§> 

 The inlaying of mother of pearl has been brought to high perfection 

 at Jerusalem ; great quantities of the shell are carried daily from the 

 Red Sea to that place, and of these, all the fine works — the crucifixes^ 

 the wafer boxes, and the beads are made, which are sent to the cath- 

 olic countries of South America. U We may suppose the Romans 

 were ignorant of this art, as Pliny makes no mention of it. The fish 

 is eaten by the lower classes of the Singhalese, either fresh in theii: 

 curries, or cured by drying. In this latter state they are carried to 

 the coast of Hindoostan and disposed of there. || In the Island of 

 Gorgona also, they are used by the Indians and Spaniards, and hung- 

 on strings to dry. If eaten raw they taste coppery ; but when boiled 

 are considered good.** The aborigines of California were ignorant 

 of the use of the pearl, but they used the fish, throwing it on the fire 

 to get at it and cook it.ff It is said also, that on the discovery of 

 Mexico, the Spaniards found these gems in use and esteemed by the 

 Indians, but that from the same manner of killing the animal their 

 color and lustre were destroyed. In the Society Islands, the Indians 

 manufacture their fish-hooks out of this shell, the glitter of which 

 serves instead of bait.JJ 



* Heber, II. 165. 



t Dictionnaire Universelle de la Geographie, par J, Peuchet, Art. Ceylon. 



t Bruce, VII. 323. 



§ Ency. Ameri. Art. Nacre. 



nr Bruce, VII. 322. 



1) Asiatic Researches, lot supra. 



** Burney, IV. 168. 



t+ Hist. California, I. 49. 



ti Ellis' Polynesian Researches, I. 146. 



