lOO SHELLS AS ORNAMENTS — AS SYMBOLS OF WORSHIP chap. 



Haliotis^ and are sometimes strengthened by a backing made of 

 the columella of Cypraea arahica. Small axe-heads are made 

 from Terehra crenulata ground down (Woodlark I.), and larger 

 forms are fashioned from the giant Trldacna (Fiji). 



Shells are used to ornament the elaborate cloaks worn by the 

 women of rank in the Indian tribes of South America. Speci- 

 mens of Ampullaria^ Orthalicus^ Labyrinthus, and Bulimulus 

 depend from the bottom and back of these garments, while great 

 Bulimia 6 inches long, are worn as a breast ornament, and at the 

 end of a string of beads and teeth. ^ 

 ^ The chank-shell (^Turhinella rapa) is of especial interest 

 from its connexion with the religion of the Hindoos. The god 

 Vishnu is represented as holding this shell in his hand, and the 

 sinistral form of it, which is excessively rare, is regarded with 

 extraordinary veneration. The chank appears as a symbol on 

 the coins of some of the ancient Indian Empires, and is still 

 retained on the coinage of the Rajah of Travancore. 



The chief fishery of the chank-shell is at Tuticorin, on the 

 Gulf of Manaar, and is conducted during the N. E. monsoon, 

 October-May. In 1885-86 as many as 332,000 specimens were 

 obtained, the net amount realised being nearly Rs. 24,000. In 

 former days the trade was much more lucrative, 4 or 5 millions 

 of specimens being frequently shipped. The government of 

 Ceylon used to receive £4000 a year for licenses to fish, but now 

 the trade is free. The shells are brought up by divers from 

 2 or 3 fathoms of water. In 1887 a sinistral specimen was 

 found at Jaffna, which sold for Rs.TOO.^ Nearly all the shells 

 are sent to Dacca, where they are sliced into bangles and anklets 

 to be worn by the Hindoo women. 



Perhaps the most important industry which deals only with 

 the shells of Mollusca is that connected with the ' pearl-oyster.' 

 The history of the trade forms a small literature in itself. It 

 must be sufficient here to note that the species in question is 

 not an ' oyster,' properly so called, but an Avicula (margaritifera 

 Lam.). The 'mother-of-pearl,' which is extensively employed 

 for the manufacture of buttons, studs, knife-handles, fans, card- 

 cases, brooches, boxes, and every kind of inlaid work, is the 



1 Most of the above facts are derived from a study of a collection of native 

 implements, weapons, ornaments, etc., in the Anti(iuarian Museum at Cambridge. 



2 Thurston, Notes on the Pearl and Chank Fisheries, Madras, 1890. 



