70 SECRETS OF ANIMAL LIFE 
Few civilized men or women see any conspicuous 
symbolism in the cowrie; a coal-tar product has 
taken the place of Tyrian purple; pearls are no 
longer calcined to make priceless pills; and much 
that has been has passed away for ever. On the 
other hand, pearls retain their charm; the voice of 
the shell-trumpet has not yet ceased; decorations 
of shells are still very common; and there are few 
children to whom a beauty-feast of shells appeals 
in vain. Probably, however, the most enduring 
results of the cult of shells have passed indistin- 
guishably into the fabric of the human web of life 
—we mean “ the important part the search for shells 
has played in the diffusion of the elements of culture 
and in the upbuilding of civilization.” 
