The Ear Shells. Abalones 



all Japanese gifts, the mollusk in question being the symbol of 

 long life and prosperity." 



H. Kamschatkana, Jonas, ranges along the coasts above 

 Japan, crosses Behring Straits and follows our Pacific coast to 

 Monterey, Cal. It is probably a variety of the preceding 

 species, smaller, with more pronounced lumpiness on the outside 

 of the shell, with four open holes, a many-coloured epidermis and 

 a silvery pearly lining. It seems to be the connecting link between 

 the Japanese and West American species. 



The Ormer, (//. tuhercjilata, Linn.), inhabits the Channel 

 Islands, and follows the coast of Europe southward to the Canaries. 

 It is regularly oval and very shallow, three or four inches long, 

 mottled green and brown above, finely striated with the lines of 

 growth and waved across them. The angle of the shell bears a 

 row of six open holes in tubercles which are but slightly elevated. 

 The muscle scar is inconspicuous ; the pearly lining silvery, irides- 

 cent. The mantle border is elaborately decorated with a fila- 

 mentous fringe which forms a considerable extension beyond the 

 margin of the shell. 



This is the "Sea Ear" of English collectors, the "Silieux," 

 (six eyes), of the French fishing villages. In the "kitchen mid- 

 dens " this is a noticeable species, showing that the muscular foot 

 was an article of food among European aborigines. Necklaces 

 were also made by stringing perforated bits of the shell. Farmers 

 on the Channel Islands hang strings of ormers on poles in their 

 grain fields to jingle in the wind and gleam in the sun, and so 

 frighten away srnall birds. 



After being cleaned, the shells are pearly throughout, and 

 exceptionally beautiful in form and texture. 



H. asinina, Linn., is mentioned here because of its unusual 

 shape. Its shell is greatly elongated and often kidney-shaped. 

 It is rarely over three inches long. The elevated spire has three 

 whorls. There are five to seven oblong open holes. The surface 

 is smooth, greenish or ruddy, and ornamented with beads of 

 several bright colours. The lining is pearly. The foot is. pro- 

 longed to correspond with the shell. This unique species is found 

 from Japanese to Australian waters. 



The greatest number of kinds and variation of form among 

 ear shells occur in the Australian region. But our own west 

 coast is the home of the species of the largest size. 



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