The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-23

oyster. and many other shells. Yield pearls Of
varying degrees OF beauty and value. The exS
uusite pink pearls occasionally displayed are
found in univalve shells the chank shell and.
tho common fountain shell OF the WestIndies.
They arc generally sold under tho name OF
conch pearls, but are liable to fade with time.
Tho great pearl fisheries OF tho world arc In the
Indian Ocean. but there are few shores where
pearls even II OF little worth. have not at some
timo been found. Very beautiful pearls havo
been found in tho Cult Of California. aud in the
timo of the Jesuit miss ionaries the nsherywaea
source OF great wealth to the people OF that
country. Only q few years ago an oxtrnordi-
nnrily fine pearl was found in the Bay OF Pana-
ma and the fishery there, although Mt prcsent
suspended. has been very lucrative. Mother
of-pearl shells have been inserted in the upper
part Of tho cath edral at Panama. and in some Of
the other churches. with striking effect
Although the lining OF tho pearl oyster has the
beautiful naereous formation knownas mother
of-pear. yet the mothor-of-pearl Of commerce
is generally furnished by another variety Of
she'll larger andstronRer.
To the sponge coral amber. turtle. and other
fisheries Mr. Slmmonds gives tho Same dotailql
attention. furnishing full information concern
ing them. To speak OF them hero at length
would DO impossible but tho reader may DO in
terostcd in fow minor facts. which. II OF less
importance are still more curious. rs showing
to wha, strange uses some Of the marine Won
ders come at last Thus in India. near Daoca
the jawbone OF the bonleo fish. which IL set wtth
small recurvcd toeth. Is used ms n fno comb for
eardipg cotton. The Jaws Of the sleeper shark
are used as head-drosses by come North Amer
lean Indians. BY other sayagos the teeth and
bones OF fish are employed as weapons. Fish
4. t,a. loo. oI. tRtn thnr md
The translucent skin OF tho burbot. when
cleaned and stretched s used in parts OF Sibo-
ria aud Russia to tako the place Of window
glass. In British India about 1900 little cow
RTE shells pass for an Engleh shilling. although
in other places 1000 are worth fifteen pence
Sometimes 100 900 are given for a young wife,
while an ordinary wife can be had for 10000
In the New Hebrides n ton OF sandalwood may
be bought for n single eowry OF n peculiar va
rety found on the Friendly Islands-white
with violet Lip. From the hyssus. or hbrcs
with which the mussel attaches itself to tho
rock. are manufactured in Italy. though chiefly
as n curiosity. silky fabrics with n burning
golden lustre and OF great 0neness. The hol-
low dried leaves OF an enormous sea WeOl iur-
nish water buckets for the Inhabitants OF the
Pacific coast OF South America.
=, Another Wow OF the ineNnaustiole iaselhn-
tons convenient little Handy Nolume Series,
entitled The MlNtiudinOus seas, by ). q. w. BEN
JAMfN. Free from statistics and written IN q
fluent and picturesque style. by Ole who has
travelled far and near over the face of the
waters. it deals little with subjects Of industrial
importance but enables one 10 gain. in nm easy
and attractive way. n new insight into the
myriad strange aspects of the ocean. st. Elmo's
lights water spouts. submarine volcanoes. icc-
bergs. cyclones. the beautiful and curious crca-
lures found floating on the surface Of the sea.
are only part Of the themes ON which 1t dis
courses
For people by the sen shore who want to on
gage in n little pleasant study OF the objects
within their reach. n better source NJ infOrma-
ton could not bc found than Sketches Of AHuhdi
Lie and Habits. by ANDREW WILSON w. 4 Il.
ChnmbersL y trentS OF animaIcules, sea-
in n most interesting manner. giving their life
histories and many singular facts relating to
them. The name OF the anthor Is q sure guar
tee OF the accuracy Of the information he gives.
and the student may be certain OF the one point
most To bc desired that the knowledge which
he acquires from 1t will never have 10 be un-
learned again.