Industrial and Manufacturing Uses of Shells. 297 



Utilization of Shells for Economic and Decorative Pur- 

 poses. — The next subdivision — the use of shells for spoons, 

 drinking-vessels, lamps, handles for knives, and other pur- 

 poses of domestic economy or ordinary utility — takes in a 

 very wide range. 



The valves of the Anodonta escula are used as skimmers 

 in ^x^2a\, and the shells of the Ainpiillaria serve to dip up 

 the caoutchouc gum. The Africans on the west coast 

 make much use of the large shells of the Achatina snail, 

 shaped into spoons. 



Shells are still much used for scoops, spoons, etc. In 

 many countries the great melon-shell and others are employ- 

 ed to bale out boats ; to hold oil and a wick, suspended as 

 lamps ; to skim milk ; and, from some unexplained custom, 

 shells seem a necessary ornament or appendage in the 

 window of the milk-shop or dairy in the metropolis. 



The less-civilized inhabitant of coasts frequently forms 

 his knife, his hunting-spear, and his fish-hook of hard 

 shell. In the latter instance it serves the secondary pur- 

 pose of a glittering bait. The Chinese grind shells to 

 powder, and use this powder in the way we do flock on 

 paper-hangings. 



A small white bivalve shell (called Irego by the natives 

 of Western Australia) is used for sharpening their spears 

 when they cannot procure glass. 



The Friendly Islander wears the scarce orange cowry 

 as a mark of chieftainship. The New Zealander polishes 

 the ElencJms into an ear ornament more brilliant than the 

 " pearl ear-drop " of classical or modern times, and, with 

 the rainbow-lined, pearly interior of the Haliotis iris, orna- 

 ments the eyes of his grotesque images, and inlays the rich 

 carving of his war canoes ; and he also manufactures 

 gleaming fish-hooks of the same material. In the Solomon 



