744 Pearls and Pearl Fisheries. [July, 
One of the most celebrated pearls in Europe is that called La 
Pellegrina, in possession of the Zosima Museum at Moscow, 
which has been the subject of several publications. It was 
bought fifty years ago from the captain of an India ship at 
Livorno, in Italy, and is perfectly spherical and of such brilliance 
and purity as to appear almost transparent. It weighs about 
ninety grains, and may be considered the most beautiful pearl 
known. The imperial crown of Austria is ornamented with a 
pearl of three hundred carats weight but of mediocre quality. 
The best known and most perfect large pearl of recent times 
is that belonging to the collection of the late Mr. A. J. B. Hope, 
M.P., of London. It weighs three ounces, is an inch and a half 
in diameter and two inches long. Its value is estimated at 
about $60,000. The most usual dimensions of fine oriental pearls 
is from one and a half to three times the size of a pea. 
Each locality produces pearls of especial tint or character; 
Japan and Celebes are noted for rosy pearls; the Gambier islands 
for those of a bronze hue, derived from the hammer oystef 
(Malleus); the Gulf of Mexico for black ones; the Marianne 
archipelago for a very rare greenish kind; the Gulfs of Persia 
and Manaar for the pure white orient pearls. Two pearls of & 
ruby red, found in the waters of Ceylon over a century 4g are 
said to be in the hands of the Rajah of the Sulu isles. These ar? 
said to be of great beauty, but no more have ever been found, 
though some of our American Naiades produce rosy Or pink 
pearls. Pink and rosy concretions of great beauty but not nacre- 
ous and therefore not true pearls, are produced by the quer? 
conch (Strombus gigas L.) of the West Indies, and Turbines 
_ Scolymus L. of the East. These lose their color in course 
time, as do the shells from which they come, and true 
never do. 
It may be noted that pearls like most animal products, how- 
ever hard, are occasionally subject to a sort of decay, OF ibe 
with loss of brilliancy and consequent loss of value. Ag A 
preventive against such evils, is to keep the pearl, when not i 
use, in magnesia. Pearls should not be put in greasy orso : 
water, nor subjected to contact with acids, such as the ‘sini si 
fruit or vinegar. If constantly worn fluctuations may er 
their brilliancy and tone due to differences in the exhalations © 
the wearer’s skin, which may result from changes of tem 
illness or emotion. 
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