NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



and that it is fometbing foreign to the Fish. The skiri in which 

 the pearl is enclofed, is fo trahfparent on the fide next the shell* 

 that one may plainly fee the luftre and water of the pearl 

 through it ; but one cannot fo well difcover the quality through 

 the other part of the skiri, which is covered with a fort of flime. 

 The shells in which pearls are found, have generally fome blemish 

 in their shape, and differ from the reft, being crooked, short, 

 Sec. and the larger the pearl is, the more obvious always is the 

 blemifh. Notwithstanding all this, one cannot, by the external 

 appearance, declare for a certainty whether fuch (hells have pearls 

 in them or not, and much lefs what water they are of; for the 

 pearls may have been damaged by fome accident, whilfl they 

 were in their fluid flare. A Mufcle may have more than one 

 pearl, and fometimes all of them of a good water. The greatefl 

 number of pearls are of a reddifh brown > a good many are 

 white or grey, fome black, but the beft, which are very fcarce, 

 are of a pure water, and excellent luftre. When the Mufcles are 

 found at the bottom of rivers that run with a pretty ftrong cur- 

 rent, the outfide of the (hells are always of a yellowifh brown ; 

 but on muddy ground, or in ftagnated waters, the (hell is gene- 

 rally black : however, one cannot fay that the ground, or the 

 colour of the (hell, indicates the pearls to be larger or fmaller, 

 better or worf e> or fewer in number. The Mufcle may be open'd 

 without deftroying the Fifh, which will live after the pearl is 

 taken away ; but it is obierved, thc 7 ncv.r produce any more 

 pearls. So far Mr. Baumann. 



O Wormius [fays, in his Mufeum, p. no, that he has had 

 fome Norway pearls not inferior to the Oriental. I have indeed 

 feen fuch myfelf ; but I mud alfo obferve, that the number of thefe 

 is not very confiderable * 



SECT. IV, 



The Snegle, Sea-foails, Cochlea, are called here Konunger, orsne 

 Kukelurer They are found on thefe coafts of various forts, partly 

 flicking like Oyfters or Mufcles to the rocks, and partly lying 

 among the weeds, and in fandy bottoms. 



The (hells, that are found in Norway are not fo large as thofe 

 that are brought from the Indies to ornament our grottoes. The 

 largeft I have found are about as big as a middle-fiz'd pear, and 

 they are partly of that (hape; tho' fome are round, and fome 



liJ^. mee T^ th / ear r inNorwa y> f ome of which are of a clear white, and Ihine 

 likefilver. Indeed we fometimes find fuch as, for their fize and beautiful water are 



i Xf 3i4. t0 e nentaI ' Fridr ' Chriftian Lefo Teftaceo-TheologierP II Lf i? 



form'd 



