River Pearls ; American. 251 



season extends from June to October, and some 

 fine specimens have occasionally been brought to 

 light. A remarkable Pearl weighing 46^ grains, 

 was found in this river some few years ago, and 

 passed into the cabinet of Mr. Israel Harris, a 

 banker in Waynesville, Ohio, who has formed a very 

 large collection of Miami Pearls. This specimen 

 was described as an " agatised Pearl," in consequence 

 of its displaying a curious agate-like structure, and 

 was christened by Mr. Harris the " Koh-i-noor 

 Pearl." One of the finest Pearls ever found in this 

 district was accidentally discovered by a little boy 

 of eleven years, named Morton L. Roberts, who, 

 while on a visit in the neighbourhood, was amusing 

 himself by collecting mussel-shells from the river, 

 to border a flower-bed in his aunt's garden. In one 

 of the shells, lying among a heap that had been 

 thrown aside by the fishers as useless, the keen eye 

 of the boy detected a Pearl, which turned out to 

 be one of unusual value ; being equally fine in size, 

 form and lustre. 



Many good Pearls have been found from time 

 to time, in the rivers of New England, in the 

 north-eastern part of the United States, and it is 

 said that one obtained from a stream in New Jersey 

 was sold in Paris for as much as ;^400. According 

 to Mr. Dall, some fine Pink Pearls have occasionally 



