Beautiful Shells. 



So much for names and titles ; but still we have 

 the question to answer, What are shells ? In a 

 learned work called a Cyclopaedia, we find it stated 

 that u shell is the hard calcareous (that is chalky) 

 substance which protects, either partially or en- 

 tirely, the testaceous mollusks externally, or sup- 

 ports certain of them internally." All this you 

 will understand, except perhaps the word " mol- 

 lusks " ; this is a term applied to soft-bodied 

 animals, such as shell-fish, snails, etc., about which 

 we shall have more to say as we proceed. By this 

 we learn that all shells are not external or outer 

 coverings, some are internal or inner supports for 

 the soft jelly-like bodies to which they belong, thus 

 performing the duty of bones. An example of this 

 is seen in the shell of the Cuttle-Fish, called by 

 naturalists Sepia, a description of which will be 

 found further on in the book. 



Shells are either Crystalline or Granular. Now 

 look at those two words, they almost explain their 

 own meaning. Crystalline shells are those which 

 have more or less of clearness, transparency as we 

 say, so that if held against the light it shows 

 through them; they are sometimes called Por- 

 cellaneous shells, from their resemblance in this 

 respect to porcelain, or chinaware; the Common 



