394 SOME ETHNOGRAPHIC PHASES OF CONCHOLOGY. 



value of from forty to sixty thousand pounds sterling are annually 

 imported into Britain. France and other countries of Europe also 

 receive large annual importations of the same costly marine produc- 

 tion ; while oriental luxury absorbs a still greater amount. Ingenious 

 means are accordingly resorted to for supplying the enormous demand. 

 The Chinese practice one successful mode, by inserting into the living 

 animal a silver wire with a nucleus for the pearl to form upon. Still 

 further improving on this process of making the living pearl-muscle 

 an obedient worker in their service, they not only produce pearls of 

 various sizes and qualities by the introduction of pieces of wood, baked 

 earth, &c., into the living animal, which it covers with the nacrous 

 deposit which converts them into marketable pearls ; but also small 

 metal figures of Buddha, in the sitting posture in which the divinity 

 is usually portrayed, are treated in a similar manner. These miniature 

 pearl-encased penates are highly valued by the Chinese as charms, and 

 produce large prices. But while thus dwelling on the prolific pearl 

 productions of southern seas, it must not be forgotten that Britain 

 has also her pearl-producing bivalve. The river pearl-muscle, unio 

 margaritiferus, is found in various Scottish rivers, but chiefly in the 

 Tay. There was formerly an extensive pearl-fishery extending from 

 Perth to Loch Tay, and the pearls sent from thence from 1761 to 1764 

 have been estimated in value at ^10,000. Single pearls are still pro- 

 cured from the Tay, which readily sell at from one to two pounds 

 sterling. 



The discovery of the economic use of the larger stromhince as an 

 important material in the manufacture of porcelain, as well as the 

 introduction of the practice of working camei on these shells, and the 

 increasing demand for this beautiful and artistic class of personal 

 ornaments, have united to create a novel trade in the gigantic tropical 

 shells. Immense quantities of the strombince are now annually brought 

 to Europe, and so many as three hundred thousand shells of the 

 strombus gigas and strombus pugilis have been imported from the 

 Bahamas to Liverpool alone, in a single year. 



Did the object of this paper require a minute consideration of the 

 modern economic applications of shells and other marine products, it 

 might be greatly extended by reference to the varied applications of 

 mother-of-pearl shells to all the purposes of inlaying, carving, and 

 decorating. The value of the shells imported in recent years into 

 Britain for this class of manufactures alone, has fallen little short, 



