C 661 ) 
obferved infome (hells under the firffc Coat a Liquor 
that was very orient and clear, that would move upon 
the Prefiure of the Finger, but that fuch a Mufcle never 
had Pearl, which Liquor I fhouki think was the true 
Mother of Pearl. 
The part where the Pearl lieth is in the Tee or leflcr 
^end, at the extremity of the Gut, and out of the body 
of the Fifh between the two Films or Skins that line the 
fhell : I was careful to leave one Pearl in its Bed ; but the 
Fifhftinks fo extremely and fo foon, and ihrunk into 
nothing, that I fear it will be hard to preferve the parts 
entire tor the Infpe&ion. 
I believe that this Pearl anfvvereth to the Stone in 
other Animals, and certainly like that encreafeth by fe- 
veral Crufts growing over one another, which appeareth 
by pinching the Pearl in a Vice, and the upper Coat 
will crack and leap away ; and this Stone is caft off by 
theMufcle, and voided as it is able; and many fhells 
that have had Pearls in them are found now to have 
none, which will appear by thefe inftanres. The fhells 
that have the beft Pearls are wrinkled, tuifted or bunch- 
ed, and not fmooth and equal as thole that have none, 
as you may obferve by one of the Shells herewith fent, 
of a lighter Colour than the reft this (hell yielded a 
Pearl fold for jz /. And the crafty Fellows will guefs 
fo well by the fhell, that though you w atch them ne- 
ver fo carefully, they will open fuch fhells under the 
Water, and put the Pearls in their Mouths, or other- 
wile conceal them. That fame perfbn told me, that 
when they have been taking up fhells, and believed 
by fuch flgns as I have mentioned, that they were lure 
of good purchafe, and refufed good Sums for their 
lhares, that yet they found no Pearl at all in many of 
them. Upon Difcourfe with an old Man that had been 
long at this Trade, he advifed me to ftek not only when 
the Waters were low, but in a dusky gloomy day alfb, 
Left 
