82 



SHELLS 



PEARLY NAUTILUS, POLISHED AND ENGRAVED 



The polished shell of the Pearly Nautilus has b?en employed frequently 



as a surface for engraving and the inscription 



of legends, prayers and emblems. 



WEST WING 



Shells 



The collection of shells is being installed in the West Wing and is not 

 yet fully open to exhibition. It contains altogether about 100,000 speci- 

 mens representative of nearly 15,000 species. These show extra- 

 ordinary range of color and ornamentation. The arrangement of the 

 collection is still incomplete but the installation will be as follows: first, in 

 the south wall cases will ])e placed a series showing briefly the clas- 

 sification of mollusks; second, in the eight table cases at the north and 

 south ends of the hall the collections of land shells; third, in the ui)right 

 railing cases the bivalves or mollusks which have two shells hke the 

 common clam: fourth, in the metallic cases the univalves, mollusks 

 which have only one valve or shell like the snails; fifth, special exhibits 

 of shells in the north wall cases. Other cases will contain exhibits 

 illustrating the anatomy and habits of mollusks; colored transparencies 

 will show them in their habitats. 



[Return /o the South Par it Ion containing the apes and monkeys.] 



