272 Pearls, 



America, in the Bahama Islands, in the Yagni 

 river, and at Acapulco, in Mexico, and also in the 

 Gulf of California. It is seen, therefore, that fresh- 

 water as well as marine shells may yield pink Pearls, 

 but those of fresh-water origin are of a more rosy 

 pink colour. The principal shell which produces these 

 beautiful objects is the great S trombus gigas. 



The genus Strombus represents the typical form 

 of the family of StrombidcB, and consists of about 

 sixty species, which inhabit the West Indies, Medi- 

 terranean, Red Sea, India, Mauritius, China, New 

 Zealand, the Pacific and Western America. 



The Strombus gigas, — the " fountain shell " or 

 " conch shell " of the West Indies — is one of the 

 largest living shells, some specimens weighing as 

 much as four or five pounds. Immense quantities 

 are annually imported from the Bahamas, for the 

 manufacture of cameos, and for use in porcelain 

 manufacture. According to the late Prof. Archer, 

 300,000 were brought to Liverpool alone in one 

 year. This enormous scale of importation will 

 account for our familiarity with the shell as a 

 household ornament. 



It is this shell also which is generally used by 

 carvers of Italian shell cameos — for which purpose 

 it is admirably adapted by its delicate tints. The 



