258 On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 



work in shells of all sorts. Mr. Hughes, in his History of Barba-' 

 does, has two folio pages, vindicating the ladies against the innputatioR 

 of extravagance and waste of tirae in their passion for this shell worky 

 but his argument goes rather to prove that this pursuit is more im- 

 proving than many others which the fair sex of his time followed, 

 than that it is altogether such as ought to engross their minds to the 

 extent it did. Though this taste is disappearing, shells are still in this 

 country made into fancy baskets, vases, ornaments for head dresses, 

 &;c., the manufacture of which is chiefly carried on as a real art, and 

 for profit, and as such, is of course as valuable, as far as it goes, as 

 any other branch of ornamental industry. Articles thus made are 

 admitted for competition at the fairs of the American Institute in 

 New York.* Though all species are occasionally used, the princi- 

 pal seem to be the rice shell, [Foluta oryza,) the rose shell, {Cy- 

 prcea sulcata ? immature,) the green shell, {JVerita viridis,) some 

 species of Tellina, &,c. he. from the West Indies. At Taranto, 

 shell work is a regular business, but the articles are chiefly pictures, 

 resembling mosaic work, picture frames, &.c. The shells are stuck 

 one by one, according to their shades, upon paste board, on which 

 lines have previously been drawn. The articles are very expensive, 

 and being of course of little use, they are purchased rather as curi- 

 osities than otherwise. There are also some manufactures of a like 

 nature in France. f 



XXIX. Some of the Indian tribes west of the Rocky Mountains 

 make use of various colored shells, 'ground to an oval, or nearly 

 round shape, as a circulating medium. The same use is made by 

 the Indians of the eastern coast of wampum, or strings of beads cut 

 from the Venus mercenaria, (Linn.) and other shellsj as well for a 

 register of events, or history of their nation. The Indians likewise 

 use the wampum as instruments of treaty, and as speech belts, or let- 

 ters to convene a meeting of the Sachems, when such is required for 



consultation. J 



The New Zealanders use shells and beads of mother-of-pearl as 

 necklaces, bracelets, and amulets, and also stud their baskets and 



* At the October Fair, 1836, a diploma was granted by this Society " for a beau- 

 tiful shell miniature church." Journal of the Am. Institute, Vol ii. p. 196. 



1- Hon. Keppel Craven's Tour through the Southern Provinces of Naples, p. 

 184. Hughes' History of Barbadoes, &c. 



t Hunter's Manners and Customs of several Indian Tribes, p. 302. Marshall's 

 Life of Washington, 2d ed. Vol. i. notes, p. 3 — 4. 



