304 Cdnchology. 



Charles I. In the same riv^er, at the distance of 10 miles from 

 the sea, a successful fishery of pearls has been frequently carried 

 on ; and a i'ew years ago, in the river Cluny in the same county, 

 a Jew employed a number of people to collect the muscles which 

 contained them, and some large and valuable pearls were found. 

 Some years ago, in the river Teath in Perthshire, the pearls which 

 v/ere got brought about a 100/. sterling to those employed in 

 searching for them, in the course of one season. It was observed, 

 that those muscles only which were crooked and distouted yielded 

 pearls. The method which has been practised on this river for 

 fishing the pearl muscle, is the following. The fisherman pro- 

 vides himself with an instrument formed of two iron plates or 

 spoons, having something the shape of the muscle. Each of these 

 is attached to an elastic handle of the same metal, terminating in 

 an open tube, which is fixed to the end of a long wooden handle. 

 The concav^e sides of the plates approach each other, and are 

 kept in close contact by the elasticity of the handles. With this 

 instrument the fisherman enters the water, and directs his course 

 to those places which he supposes are resorted to by the muscles. 

 These he discovers with his feet, and having found one, he press- 

 es the instrument upon it, the plates or valves of which, in con- 

 sequence of the elasticity of the handles separate, and then grasp 

 it firmly. In this way he can detach it from the place to which 

 it adheres, and bring it to the surface of the water. The pearl 

 muscle is a native of many other rivers of Scotland, as of 

 the Esk in Forfarshire, where a pearl was found of the size of a 

 pistol bullet, and sold for 4/. sterling ; but of the Devon in 

 Clackmannanshire, the Clyde, and of Lock Ken in Galloway, 

 where it is said great numbers of pearl: are fished in dry summers, 

 many of which sell from one shilling to one guinea. But the 

 greatest pearl fishery which has ever been established in Scotland, 

 of which there is any record, is that of the river Tay, several 

 years ago. The pearl muscle is found in every part of this river, 

 from its source in Lock Tay, to its junction with the sea. In 

 difl^erent parts of the river, but particularly in the vicinity of 

 Perth, we are informed, that not less than 11,000/. worth of 

 pearls were sent to London during the year 1761 and 1764. 

 They were sold from 10 shillings to 1 pound 16 shillings per 

 ounce. About this time one pearl was found which weighed 33 

 grains. This fisher}^, however, as well as the pearl fishery in 

 other rivers of Scotland, seems to be greatly exhausted, and very 

 probably, as it has been supposed, from the improvident avarice 

 of the undertakers, not allowing the animal to arrive at that age 

 which seems to be necessary for the production of the pearl. 



