The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-16
A MYRIAD OF SHELLS.
GAZING Al THE BEAUTIES OF a
GENEALOGICAL COLLECTION.
Specimens of the Moilusk Family from
ali Parts of the World All Degrees
of Pecuniary Value represented
Marvellous Creations.


tSan Francisco ChronicleI
Shells from Alaska and shells from South
America; shells from China and shells from
Europa; shells from Asia and shells from
the islands of the Southern sea; shell,
brought from the deepest depth Of tn. ocean
by the Hassler's dredge, and shells from nun.
dredS OF feet above sea level; shells that
climb tree and shells that bore holes in tie
rocks; shells Of most beautiful shane ana
cOl0r AMI shells surpa sing in uxlines, tina
direst creations az a nightmare; she'll, of all
sizas, from scarcely larger than a pins head
10 oae or two feet in diameter: shells worth
500 apiece, AMI shells 100 of which
woHld not he worth 81; she'll If
every imaginable shape and cclor, and
shells Of many uninmaginable shapes-these
and many others to the number of thousands
are what a reporter saw in an upper room of
IN unpretentious dwelling in one of the
quieter portions of Oakland one day recently
Ok all the manas for collecting by which
mankind is affected, perhaps one of the most
seldom met WITH is that for conchology, ami
While museums of coins, stamps, books,
plants birds, antiquities Of all kinds, etc,
are not rare, n really fine collection of shells
Is something inlrequentiy met with Indeed,
besides the one under discussion. there is. it
is believed, but one other Of any magnitude
on this coast.
For more than fifteen years has orlando
Button, a well-known resident of Oakland,
aSsistel by his son, been gathering, in hi,
leisure moments from all parts OF the worlI
specimens Of the molusk family, until now
their collection embraces upward OF 5000
"A
maus, none Of which are duplicates. but all
possessing distinct characteristics of Their
own The uuc' Gus of this immonse collec-
ton was toriuet by milking trips TO variou
localities AMI personally gathering the shell
peculiar t. 5hs corst, AMI then by an eN-
Jen-lva -ystem @. vvrfe-ponlence with sci
.nudc colieC5FrS and mu~euuis throughout
,ht gt b. "A pan OF exchange wa5 inaug..r-
Glru b. watch all art, OF the work. wtr.
! ia!d UaIsr contribution In tn cole s.o,
ara EMBRACED specimens Of all degrees OF
/ petunIart value, some raging as high as SlJl
/ lur IA .I..,.s she'll, which, in some ca,es, to
/ .Ee ey' of tue ordinary observer. would not
! boglu 90 compare in point of teaatv
/ with maGr worth not more than
| p or 50 cents at most Besides, there are
| some 10 which no money value can be
| attached, so exceedingly rare and unique arr
| they, and tie possession Of which has led the
| lucky finder TO become the object Of tal
/ deepest envy to his fellow cCnchologisis.
! One Of the strangeSt and most intsrestin!
| shells in this museum is caleb the Nolyia
| n.usic,}, ant is found in the West Indies Al
| first glance at the outside OF tho shell i
| seems to be covered with the lines ami uct,
| of piece Of music i%hcnce the name an
! indeed, the markings Of nature are III ,,
| wonderful in their resemblance b. q mlsi "A
! design laid on ia beautiful colors Anotl Z
/ decidedly singular specimen is a spiral shell
! upward OF seven inches IN length by two ui
three inches in greatest diameter, which
| with other species of its g5nus-Achatina-
is true climber and makes trips III scare
| OF food up certain kinds Of trees found IN It
| native land Zanzibar.
Still another peculiar specimen is very
| long and slender hivaive shell. not muci
| more than hall an inch in diameter by foai
/ On five inches IN leAgth, which, by the cor
| rHsiye action OF peculiar acid which i
secTeteS, is enabled to eat or bore a hol,
/ into the hardeS. rock and there take up IL,
| residence until removed by the RUTHLESS
hand and hammer Of the concholo- maniac
This variety is found on our own coast an.
in this vicinity Perhaps one of the mos
beautiful though not especially rare, of the
many shells seen is the celebrated orangt
cowry This shell, as its name implies
when held up to the light, presents a won
pertully translucent appearance, with th
most delicate shalings of orange ana pinl
that can be imagined Good specimens O
this shell have sold at from $40 10 $40
apiece
Some idea Of the extent of this collection
as sell As the immense variety which nltur
affords in this department Of her realm, ma,
he gathered from the fact that it embrace
upward OF , 500 species OK suaiis alone, con-
!re,2s II, 00j specimens. 1t is utterly in
p1~.nls 70 conceive without actual insre,'
tiua ut the mlguiiisd aud seemingly cnd,ea
variety o., mbinatiIn5 OF shape aGI colo
hers shown Many 90 lha specimens ar, Sd
| fragile Il, % ncces5itHta the most carsfH
Laa ling and require to ~ kept packed il
cotton 10 avoid damage Some pos ass tin
transparency ana apparent consistency of {
sheet Of ts-ao paper, aul are marked ia fig;
uce4 and stripes Of delicacy impossible t
ha initiated by The most sliil.fu hand. Blu
TIRE limits Of newspaper article are ali TO
marrow to admit Of any uEtenicd descrl,
lpl pf ;He many rare AMI curious object
ta be seen and fact, % be learned in counec
lion with this interesting collection OF mol
iI,iSs.
In consiloring this museum one fact no
commonly known should be borne in mind
. | To the genuine conchoiogist the shells to b
gathered on the beach, cast up by the wave,
AMI devoid of their one-time occupants, ar
of comparatively small value and are ne
sought for. To possess any interest to theI
they must be Give" shells, and minut
knowledge Of their habits is necessary i
order 60 know just where to search for tan
desired specimen Once obtained, these or
treated TO a hot-water bath, the occupci
removed and then, without a particle G
polish or other preparation, the shells III
ready for the museum, the design, Of c0ur5e
Icing 70 retain the shells Is nearly in thei
natural state Us possible. On many spec
mems the natural polish Of the surface 10
exceeds any that could be produced by an.
ar.iGsial process.