INSTINCT, INTELLIGENCE, AND USES 141 



Staffordshire has been recorded. Indeed, the Romans 

 seem to have held the British freshwater Pearls in 

 high estimation; while, according to Pliny, Caesar 

 dedicated to Venus Genetrix, and hung in her 

 temple at Rome, a breastplate covered with British 

 pearls, though these were possibly from the marine 

 Mussel, which, as well as the Oyster, sometimes yields 

 pearls. A large dull kind of pearl is also got from 

 Tridacna (the Giant Clam), and pink Pearls from 

 the West Indian Fountain Shell (Strombus gigas), as 

 well as from certain Turbinella. Fossil pearls of 

 large size have, moreover, been found in our English 

 chalk, being the product of the big Bivalve (Ino- 

 ceramus) that occurs therein. Dr. Willey was 

 fortunate enough to obtain a large pearl from a 

 Nautilus shell in New Britain, this being apparently 

 the only one known. 



For practical utilitarian purposes, however, the 

 South Sea islanders make the most use of shells. 

 They employ them as sinkers for their fishing nets 

 in some cases as bait for Cuttlefish, manufacture 

 fish-hooks, weapons, and even shaving tools out of 

 them. 



In China and Japan the translucent shells of 

 Placuna placenta are used for windows, and there is 

 a " Window-Shell " Oyster fishery near Trincomalee, 

 Ceylon. 



The silky byssus of Pinna has been woven into 

 gloves, caps, stockings, etc., and Taranto, in South 



