OR, GLIMPSES BENEATH THE WATERS. 



the animals that create and inhabit the beautiful 

 shells that have so long been ranked among the 

 most elegant objects of the cabinets of the cnrious. 

 Many of these were, in fact, scientifically classified 

 by learned naturalists before the nature of the 

 animal, of which they formed the mere senseless 

 husk, was even gaessed at. The ordinary col- 

 lector did not even desire to knoAV anything of 

 the creature which produced the shell he most 

 prized; it was sufiicient for him that it was esti- 

 mated as "rare" by his brother collectors — rarity 

 being a quality more highly prized than even beauty. 

 With this feeling, prices as great were given for 

 single shells as ever enthusiastic Hollander paid 

 for a coveted bulb during the height of the Tulipo- 

 mania. No amount of guineas was too much, at 

 a sale of shells, for such a contested prize as a 

 Many-rihhed harp^ a Gloria maris^ a Cedo nulU, or 

 a Voluta Junonia. But that race of idle shell - 

 fanciers has given place to a race of true concholo- 

 gists, who are investigators as well as collectors, and 

 whose labours are daily developing unexpected and 

 valuable knowledge from those long obscure pages 

 of the great book of Nature. 



The marine Aquarium may be made the means 

 of many curious discoveries regarding the habits 



65 F 



