Retrospect ive Criticism^ 4<51 



collection two beautiful specimens from the Indian Seas: both contain the 

 perfect " animal" within, and distinctly perceptible through the envelope. I 

 selected them from a great many : all the rest were empty cases : the threads 

 proceeding from the angles form beautiful curled tassels. — J. Murray, 

 Cannartheny April 2. 1830. 



'Buccinum lajnllus. — Sir, Your correspondent G. J., on Molluscous Animals 

 {p. 44.), says that the .Buccinum laplllus, is " exposed for sale in large quan- 

 tities in the fish-shops of the metropolis." He is certainly mistaken in the 

 species : the only species of the whelk tribe sold in London, as an article 

 of food, are the B. undatum, and the i^furex antiquus Lin. It may lead 

 young beginners into an error. The least observation will show how dif- 

 ferent the species are ; the B. laplllus not being one fifth the size of the 

 other two. I am no draughtsman, or I would send you a sketch of the 

 three. — A Constant Reader. Stepney, Jan. 28. 1830. 



• Conway Pearl Fishery. — Two very diiFerent kinds of pearl are collected 

 about the Conway : one kind, the produce of a fresh-water muscle, iliya 

 margaritifera, called by the Welsh, Cregin y dylw (shells of the flood), or 

 perhaps Cregin y deuliw (shells of two colours) ; from which very valuable 

 pearls are sometimes obtained, not much inferior to the Oriental ones. I have 

 seen a very beautiful pearl from a lake in Scotland half an inch in diameter, 

 and of a perfectly hemispherical shape. They are taken in the upper part 

 of the Conway, near Llanrwst, but the search is very precarious. The 

 other kind is abundantly obtained from the common edible muscle, iliytilus 

 edulis, in the mouth of the river Conway, and in the Menai near Bangor. 

 When the tide is out, numbers of people may be seen, of all ages, gathering 

 the shells from the rocks and stones to which they are attached. The 

 pearls yielded by these shells, though numerous, are small, irregularly 

 formed, and of a bad colour. It is these pearls that are sent to London, 

 and the destination of which is so mysterious. — W. Wilson. Warrington^ 

 Juncy 1830. 



Pearls in the Conway, (p. 130.) — I suppose the misshapen so-called 

 pearls sent to you must have been obtained, not from the Jfya margaritifera 

 (U^nio elongata of Lamarck), but from the common muscle (ikfytilus edulis) 

 in which minute and misshapen and ill-coloured concretions are often 

 found. My late brother found a very fine pearl in the common muscle : 

 it was of a perfect form and considerable size, that of an ordinary pea : it wa6 

 unfortunately however of a purplish tint, and wanted all the rich brilliancy 

 which so distinguishes the Oriental pearls. Though pearls are found in the 

 shells of various Testacea, as the common oyster, ikfytilus edulis. Pinna, 

 Haliotis, &c., I believe the i^fytilus margaritifera and Mya. margaritifera 

 are those alone which yield the best supply as to colour, number, quality, 

 ^ize, and form. That rara avis the " pink pearl" is found in one of the 

 conchs. I have seen small Oriental pearls of a perfect form, yet in great 

 variety of colours, in Earl Mountnorris's collection ; and even when obtained 

 from the " pearl oyster" (muscle) as it is commonly called, the forms are 

 sometimes fantastic enough. I have a very fine one, large ; a complete 

 biceps, resembling a double-headed shot ; it is Oriental, and of the finest 

 brilliancy, but useless as an article for jewellery. The pearl fisheries of the 

 Conway, and especially of Scotland, were once considerable, and charters 

 were granted for their monopoly. I have been informed that a lady on 

 the Conway nets nearly a thousand a year by the pearls of that river, 

 imder a charier : doubtless these must be obtained from the Mya margari- 

 tifera (the pearl muscle does not exist in the Conway), if this is actually 

 the case, for it is probable I may have been misinformed. Poor persons 

 pick out useless pearls, such as do not deserve the name of that beautiful 

 concretion, the ornament of coronets and crowns, and vend them for a 

 trifle. It is, however, some years now since I was on the Conway, and 

 the delightful science of conchology formed then no part of my studies. 



