No. 521] FACTS ABOUT THE « LOBSTER PEARL » 



without layers, and the fracture was waxy hut not brittle nor con- 

 choidal. It had no place where it seemed to be attached to anything, 

 and it had no lustre beyond that of beeswax. To all appearance it 

 seemed the same material as the inside of the claw, without crystalline 

 structure and without layers. Every appearance of the pearl and the 

 manner of the finding, and the two men who found it indicated that it 

 was not a fake. I deal with many of these things, almost daily, and 

 could have determined that fact. 



Later through the courtesy of Mr. Eno, I was able to 

 make a careful examination of the so-called " pearl," 

 and to secure the photographs, which are here shown. 

 While my findings, which will be now given in detail, do 

 not support the view expressed above — that we are deal- 

 ing with a true pearl-like body in any proper sense — 

 they in no way detract from the biological interest of 

 the object, which is without doubt unique. 



Description. — The body called a " pearl" is chiefly re- 

 markable for its form, for when seen from one side or 

 pole it has the appearance of a 

 nearly symmetrical sphere, 11 milli- 

 meters in diameter (Fig. 1). That 

 it is not in reality regular, but has 

 a long axis at right angles to a flat- 

 tened side, is better seen by refer- 

 ence to Figs. 2 and 3, in which the peari/* seen from side par- 

 object is represented four times its NaSSfrtS!" ° f ingrowth " 

 natural size. Its absolute weight is 

 0.9785 gram. 1 It is of a light buff color, and in all essen- 

 tial respects resembles the shell of any lobster's claw, 

 when seen from the inside, and in the dried state (Fig. 4). 



The surface of the body is neither chalky nor waxy, 

 but shines faintly, and has a distinct punctate or granu- 

 lated appearance. The flattened pole or side, which 

 bears the marks of a knife, and was evidently once 

 rougher than now appears, represents, without any 



iFor this determination, as well as for the specific gravity of ths 

 "pearl," and shell of the lobster's claw, I am indebted to my friend Pro- 

 fessor H. W. Springsteen, of Western Reserve University. 



