The morning call., 1891-02-08

L ne composition of shells is of two or
ders the ealeareons and the crGstaceous,
sucn as belong tn the family of ArticulateS.
Caicareous are composed of carbonate of
lime, having mixture of some yiSeous
matter. CruStaceous are composed princi-
pally OF phosphate of lime.
Children love to gather shells as play
things; grown people, who can have
higher appreciation for their beauty and
utility. not only desire them as natural
curIosltes, but convert them into numerous
articles OF use and ornament, such as but
tons, backs of brushes, combs, boxes,
purses and many different pieces of jewel
~. The ancients used certain shell-fish
for the purpose Of making dyes. The fam
Gus Syrian purple was procured from par
tlcuiar species of moilusk. A single vein
situated near the head Of this fish contains
the rich coloring fluid, but this method has
been superseded by more recent and easier
devices of obtaining coloring liquid equally
rieS and beautiful.
The testGceous pride of California is the
abalone, order Haliotis. signifying Sea-ear,
beautiful pearlaceouS bivalve, encellated,
containing from five to nine perfnrations.
There are three varieties: Tie black,
smallest and most abundant, grows from l
to inches in length. and is less tubercular
than the other Varieties. The gray has the
thlckest and toughest external surface. The
red abalone, generally priced as the most
beautiful, sometimes grows to a length of 10
inches. The genuine rcd abalone, however,
Wnlcn mas cTlfnSOn-,lntcu Interior, is III
dlgenous only to Tahiti.
The abalone, like all other bivalyes, is
composed of two pieces, Joined together on
one side by hinge and held firmly to-
gether by one or more cogent muscles, which
pass from one valve 10 the other on the in
side When the animal relaXes these mus
Giles The shell is forced open by an elastic
body called a lgament situated at the hinge.
The hinge is composed of dark elastic,
glutlnons substance, resembling india-rub-
Der, and it is by this means that the fish,
which Is of parasitical character, attaches
Itself to the rocks from which it is obtained.
Gathering abalone shells is au industry
which is pushed with considerable profit,
although the work is fraught with some
danger to the inexperienced. Chinese and
Italian hshermen are the principal hunters,
and the field extends from Monterey to the
extreme south, where fine specimens
abound.
The Hali0tls gatherer rows out at low
tide TO the rocks short distance from
shore, anchors his beat and commences
operations with strong wedge of some
kind and a hammer. The wedge is worked
slowly under the shell, which is gradually
torn IRON its position, sometimes with ex-
IRENE difficulty, as the tenacity with which
the animals cling TO the rocks is something
extraordinary. The hinge is not the only
support; the horny tubereleS, especially in
the gray variety, mbed themselves tightly
into the moss or softer surface of the rock
and gelatinous papillary tiuid which eX-
udes IRON the body near the hinges, also
serves to glue the shell to the surface
Sometimes whole patches OF surrounding
moss have to be stripped off the rock with
the shell, and should the workers hand be-
come caught between the two valves of a
shell, they would close with snap and inn
prison him as IN wise, so strong and vlgor-
Gus are the muscles of the fish and so pow
erfuily are they held in their station, and
the DPrsnn fins SOppI wnutd in mn-t
likelihood be doomed to a horrible death.
In securing these shells the danger does
not often lie with the shell being operated
upon as is the usual superstition, for as soon
as the mollusk feels there is any foreign OBJ
ject approaching its valves close tightly for
protection and do not reopen until all indi-
cation OF danger is passed. Bnt the abalones
generally lie in close thick group, as do
other bivalves of the same order, and their
rough exteriors become SO tbickly coated
with moss, seaweed and other deposits from
the water that the form of some Of the
shells is scarcely dlscernible. The biyalyes
are constantly opening wide their shells to
allow the current of water to flow in and
out through two tubes inclosed in dark
sheath, by which means food, consisting OK
minute animals and plants is carried to the
stomach and waste particles thrown off.
The fisherman, Juggling with might and
main to dislodge one she'll. becomes so inter-
ested in his work that he notices not a part
OF the messy surface gap suddenly. One
hand slips or in some way he moves it too
closely to the gap, and as suddenly it closes
and the strong man is held securely
as In death trap. Some persons
may yet remember the case of
Chlnaman, some years ago, who was found
dead on the rocks off Coronado Beach,
near Point Iona, his hand still releutessly
clutched by that Misunderstanding messy
object, his jaw fallen and eyes starting from
their sockets, the horror OF his slow-tortur-
ing death frozen in them.
Several years ago and old Frenchman was
met in San Diego having bnt one hand, and
trundllng along small cart laden with
abolone shells the commercial value of which
he appraised at cents apiece. For num-
Z Der OF years previous he bad made COM
Portable competence gathering these shells
for the market. He understood just the
places where they were to be found, finest
and most plentiful, and practice had ac-
qnired him a skilled dexterity in their dis
location. Having sought an extent at En-
senada, he went out as usual alone in his
boat one morning at low tide, and began
reaping in full harvest. Finally his efforts
became concentrated upon what promised
to be an unusually large and elegant spesi-
men, but that fish had planted him.
sell to stay, and offered stubborn resist
anee to disledgment. Intent upon his
work he had not needed some others OF
the group unfolding themselves Becoming
tired with bis efforts he put one hand down
to rest on 1t moment, and in sc
doing inadvertently placed it directly
on the soft clammy body of a mollusk,
and quick as q flash its lids closed
The little thing had done its work aud done
1t well. 80 suddenly had it happened thai
the poor Frenchman was incapable Of stir.
ring for several seconds. Then lac took bis