On Cleaning and Polishing Shells. 27 



ON CLEANING AND POLISHING SHELLS. 



All shells, whether inhabited or not, when 

 taken, should be soaked for a while in hot water, 

 to remove the dirt which may adhere to them, and 

 dissolve the saline (that is, salt) particles contained 

 in the sea water ; they should then be thoroughly 

 dried, and if, as is the case with many, they natu- 

 rally possess a good polish, they are at once fit for 

 the cabinet. Generally, however, it happens that 

 when shells are dry, they lose much of the peculiar 

 brilliancy of hue which they possess when seen 

 through the medium of the glistening water; to 

 restore this, wash them over with a thin solution of 

 gum arabic, or white of egg. Some collectors use 

 a varnish made of gum mastic, dissolved in spirits 

 of wine; this is, perhaps, preferable, as it is not 

 affected by moisture. Many shells have a very 

 plain, dull appearance, in consequence of being 

 covered over with a kind of skin called an epi- 

 dermis, a word derived from the Greek, and signify- 

 ing the outer skin, sometimes called the cuticle. 

 To remove this, soak the shell in warm water for 

 some time, and then rub it over with a stiff brush 

 until the covering is removed ; should this be very 

 thick, it will be necessary to mix a little nitric 



