Tortoiseshell and the .Turtle :.FisherieL 357 



of fashion and taste. Works in this material are made 

 either by cutting them out of the shell, or by soldering 

 when softened by heat. Tortoiseshell is often veneered' 

 upon a body of wood, scraped to a uniform thickness, and 

 attached by fine glue. The colours are rendered darker 

 or brighter by various coatings of coloured varnish, or of 

 metallic leaf placed under the veneer. 



Tortoiseshell is worked upon like horn, and is usually 

 softened or rendered plastic by placing in boiling water, 

 containing a handful of salt to the quart, for about an hour- 

 before working ; but there is no necessity for previous 

 soaking in cold water, as with horn. In operating on the 

 shell of young tortoises, . the water has to be made Salter,, 

 and the time of boiling should be less. Some articles are 

 made by placing in brass moulds the raspings, turnings,, 

 and shreds of tortoiseshell. The moulds, to the number of 

 1 2 to 20, are then placed parallel in ia boiler of hot water, 

 and left till the softening and pressure show that the mould 

 is filled ; they are then taken out, arid the .objects polished, 

 and finished for sale. ■■ 



In the process of manufacture, 'the material, being costlyj 

 is economised as much as possible. For instance, in 

 making the frames for eye-glasses; narrow strips of tortoise^, 

 shell are used, in which slits are cut .with a saw ; the. slits; 

 being subsequently, while the shell is "warm, strained„or: 

 pulled open, until they form circular or 6val apiertares, by 

 the insertion of tapering triblets of the required shape.: 

 The same yielding or flexible property, is made use of in 

 the manufacture of boxes, a round flat disc of shell being" 

 gradually forced by means of moulds into the form of a 

 circular box with upright sides. The union of two or more, 

 pieces of shells may be effected by carefully scraping the 

 parts that are to overlap, so as to render" therii perfectly 



