Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-03-28
A MYRIAD OF SHELLS.

4 MYRIAD OF SHELLS.
GAZING At THE BEAUTIES OF A
GENEALOGICAL COLLECTION.
Specimens Of the Mollusk Family from
all Parts of the World-An Degrees
of Pecuniary Value Represented
Marvellous Creations
fSan Francisco Chroniclel
Shells from Alaska and shells from South
America; shells from China and shells from
Europe; shells from Asia and shells from
the islands of the Southern sea; shells
brought from the deepest depth of the ocean
by the Hassier's dredges and shells from hun
dreds Of feet above sea level; shells that
climb trees and shells that bore holes in the
rocks; shells Of most beautiful shape and
color ami shells surprising in ugliness the
direst creations Of nightmares; shells of all
sizes, from scarcely larger than pins head
to one or two feet in diameter; shells worth
500 apiece. and shells 100 OF which
would not be worth 81; shells Of
every imagina Die shape and color, and
shells of many uninmag ENABLE shapes-these
and many others to TIE number of thousands
are what reporter saw in an upper room OF
an unpretentious dwelling in one OF the
quieter portions of Oakland one day recently.
OF all the manias for collecting by which
mankind is affected, perhaps one Of the most
seldom met with is that for conchology, and
while museums Of coins, stamps, books,
plants, birds, antiquities of all kinds. etc,
are not rare, a really fine collection Of shells
is something infrequently met with. Indeed,
besides the one under discussion, there is, it
Is believed, but one other Of any magnitude
OH this coast
For more than fifteen years has orlando
Button, a well-known resident Of Oakland,
assisted 10y his son, been gathering. in his
leisure moments, from all parts OF the world,
specimens of the mollusk family, until now
their collection embraces upward of 5000
species and comprises nearly 5000 speci-
mems, none Of which are duplicates, but all
possessing distinct characteristics Of their
own The nucleus Of this immense collec-
ton was formed by making trip, to various
localities and personally gathering the shells
peculiar 70 this coast, and then by an ex-
tensive system of correspondence with sci
entific collectors and museums throughout
the globe plan OF exchange WAS inaugur-
ated by which all parts Of the world were
laid under contribution. In this collection
are embraced specimens of all degrees OF
pecuniary value, some raging as high as 300
for n single shell, which, in some cases. to
the eye of the ordinary observer would not 4
begin TO compare in point of beauty +
with many worth not more than 4
p or 50 cents at most Besides there are
s.is " "n'cn no money value can Do
a,,1,' - exc eunsy iaie anu unique are
, anu '"e p'oae''i'n vi ~hien mas leu Tue
''''A'' 70 uee'iio '"e o"Jec' Vi Inc
a &c envy 70 us ieiio" cohcno'osist'-
" Vi .ne anu mus. iu'ere '.ino
'A us 'H ans tne 'oN.a
musical an Is 'ouhi In tne west lhdie'. Al
hrst gIhcs al Tue OUTSIDE OF thn sheii l.
W NC VIZ" 'ne iihe' anu hV's.'
Va Pioee Vi must "hehec the haihej' am
I"e maj Aihe' VI ha'uie are hi'~t
" u, ia 'neii ieseiioiaaee " i"usicai
tesieh is''u oI Az "ea"'iui eoiorS Another
'eeiAe' S"ie uiai slecn'ici II a spirai Shei'
uP"ari VI seven Inches IN ienSln ny Two OF
'niee inche' III greatest oii'ie'er, WHICH,
WIN o'"ei Species VI i''
!, ue eiiiioei anu iiiaheS iiiS III searc"
oi iooi up certain KINDS Oh trees iouhd III It's
ii.iso io"N HaA'oi.
'''i ",'o,her pT,ui"i speeinieh Is very
'"ie anu S.enuei oiai'o sneii' no. iiuch
ho.e nan nai. an mn Al uiAine,er " iour
u n'e nh.ne' IL" iens'u' WHICH, ~ Tue cor
''SNe aS.ion Vi !" peouiiar acia WHICH IL
'eeioeS' enaoieA 10 eau Ut oore hoie
mo 'ne "Aiu rue, ioeA anu ,uere take up It's
uH''i o'su os '"e fu'uie's
IAN anu 'i''iihiei ., 'io eViiciioio- hiih
us saiet! Il iounu Oh our own coast anu
III 'h., FcHi't, Ierhafs one oi inc most
'eau'iiui' thouSh MOI e'Peciaiiy rare, OF the
many snaii. 'oeh 10 'ne .eieoi a'eu orange
S sue.' a. Us hahic iiipiieS'
'"e" "e'i up 70 'no iien'' Pfese"'' "on-
u'h'iucen' appearance WIN .ne
,i''' uehV"'e snhiiiis' VI ofahse anu puma
na' van 10 ihi'sliied' o"od sieei.hehS o.
ms S"'4i NA'e 'o'' az iio"i sf' - sio'
Apieoe'
some ioea Oh 'ne extent Oh 'hi' coiec'ion'
y wen sS Tue Immense variety winch nature
'Ao'u, al tnls uepa,i 'iiieh' VI hei rea'ii' may
" eieu iio'h INC A0e. mat A. enoracei
P""'u VI -.''o VI s,"ns 'io'e, COZ"
;, speoi"ehS utterly i'i-
''es'o,. ~ eonoeiso "i'nou' ac'uai iiislec-
4"n vi VIC hiaSiiineu anu seeiiiihsy ehuieSs
VI 0oii,oiha'' rs vi shaie anu coior
'efe sno"h hahis Vi Tue specimens arc 80
,,' a. % heo. ,4 the niosl careful
'ai ii's aiiu require ID o' hep' packea IN