iCi MYA. GJPER. Class VI. 



crcAvn. They arc called bv the If'clsh, Cregin 

 Diluic, or Deluge Shells, as if left there by the 

 flood. 



The //•/ ill Ciunberlaud was also productive 

 of them. The famous circumnavigator, Sir 

 John Haickins,^' had a patent for fishing that 

 river. He had observed pearls plentiful in the 

 Straits of JMagellan^ and flattered himself with 

 being inriched by procuring them within his 

 own island. 



In the last century, several of great size were 

 gotten in the rivers of the county of Tyrone and 

 Donegal, in Ireland. One that weighed 36 

 carats Mas valued at 40/. but being foul, lost 

 much of its worth. Other single pearls were 

 sold for 4/. \Qs. and even for 10/. The last 

 was sold a second time to Lady Glenlealy, who 

 put it into a necklace, and refused 80/. for it 

 from the Duchess of Ormond.]' 



Suetonius reports, that CcCsar was induced 

 to undertake his British expedition for the sake 

 of our pearls ; at comparing the sizes of v.hich 

 he was so expert, as sometimes to have ascer- 

 tained the weight by his hand only. J I ima- 

 gine that Caesar only heard this by report; and 



* Camden, ii. 1003. f Ph. Tr. Alridg. ii, S3 1. 



% Sucton. Fit. Jul. Cess. c. xliv. 



