How to Know Shells 



Is is worth while to make a collection of shells. This is one 

 of the most desirable channels into which to guide the collecting 

 zeal of children. Pennies are better invested in gay-hued sea 

 shells at the curio shop than in the equally dazzling display in 

 the candy shop. I could never doubt the genuineness nor the 

 enduring quality of a child's love for a growing shell collection 

 after spending a winter at Long Beach, Cal., and seeing a child's 

 small hoard of "a window shell, two Muricks (Murex) and 

 a Turritella Cooperi I found myself!" grow till a small cabinet 

 was needed to display and protect from dust a good variety of 

 native and exotic species. Friends always rally to the assistance 

 of the amateur conchologist. Shell dealers have tropical shells 

 of great beauty at surprisingly small prices. When his experience 

 is wider, the collector can obtain many of the species he desires 

 by exchange with other collectors in different parts of the country, 

 and in foreign countries. To all these resources are added his 

 own industry in his own neighbourhood. Shell collectors are 

 always enthusiasts, and their enthusiasm is likely to become con- 

 tagious, especially as it is supplemented by study of moUusks 

 alive, in the aquarium and snailery and in their native haunts. 



The Golden Age of Conchology was reached in the middle 

 of the last century when Hugh Cuming returned from cruising 

 among the islands of many seas, bringing as spoils of his wander- 

 ings thousands of shells of the Tropics, the largest and hand- 

 somest to be found in the world. He had twenty-five hundred 

 different species of marine shells, and five hundred species of land 

 shells. Such forms find refuge among groves of many-coloured 

 corals and sea-weeds; the air-breathers hide among tropical 

 vegetation, unseen because as gaily striped as the flowers. Many 

 of these splendid shells were absolutely unknown to science. 

 The tremendous effect they produced upon the shell collectors 

 of Europe cannot be described. Magnificent private collections 

 represented the grand passion of many wealthy and ambitious 

 amateurs. Auction sales were patronised by persons of high 

 social standing, noted conchologists, and shrewd speculators. 

 These were centres of excited competition, where prices of rare 

 and beautiful shells reached surprising heights. 



Most of these private collections have been absorbed by great 

 museums, where they are displayed for the enjoyment of the public, 

 or are at least available to those who wish to study them. 



