The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-26
RARE SHELLS.
OF Ono Species but Two Specimens Are
known to Exist.

! AHOWn TO Ex1St.
Interest in shell collecting is fast
! growing" said one of the greatest inn
| porters of these wares recently, land it
| is good thing, for IN conchology the
novice win find revelation, while the
| expert viii linger in rapturous study of
| the sea marvels- In shells you have
something that is distinctive. You can
| make It a feature that viii be attract
i've to friends who visit your home"
How much does it cost to secure q
| good collection?'
| THAT depends. of course, upon the
| ideas of the collector. A very fair pri-
vate collection that will make hand
/ some and interesting cabinet for the
| study may be secured for from so to
| SIS. It will include between 100 and
| rs specimens These can be arranged
| in the ca binet so that the varied tints,
| and convolutions, and markings of the
shells viii be most effectively shown.
/ Such collection would be for an anna
| teur. What we call regular collec-
| ton, affording very comprehensive
view of the different shell families and
! characteristics. costs $3.50. To the
lovers of fhe oddities of nature it is
much more interesting than $500 worth
of painting or bric-a-brac would be.
With such collectionSone could enter
tain his friends for hours at a time.
pointing out the wondrous details of
markings, and tints, and curves, and
twists, and oddities. For example,
| such a collection would contain the
trumpeter.
What is the trumpetcr?"
The shell merchant went to case in
the rear of his store and lifted out
conch-shaped shell nearly two feet in
length and marked like a tortoise she'll
A hole had been drilled at the large
end of the shell. The merchant placed
his lips to the hole and blew. A rich,
sonorous trumpet blast echoed and re-
echoed throughout the shop.
''It isn't necessary to explain further
why it is called the trumpeter, is it?"
exclaimed the merchant with a smile.
This shell comes from Singapore and
belongs to the Triton family. Sailors
often use it as "a fog horn, and it makes
good one, too.
"Shells of rare beauty and coloring,"
he continued, ''are found among the
family commonly called cowry shells.
and are gathered in California.
India, Africa, Cape of Good Hope, and
the Sandwich islands. The Sandwich
islands are famous for the orange cow
~. the most expensive specimen of this
family. The Pacific coast gives us the
most beautiful and largest shell of the
Mi far W IN tod
olive, which has rows of tents on it's
outer surface, making it look like the
picture of a military camp. Olive shells
get their name from their shape, and
they are large and very beautiful.
Quantities of them are found in the
East and West Indies.
''Some of the rarest and most beauti-
full shells in the world are found in
China, which make up in beauty of
specimens for a dearth of variety in
supply. The rarest specimens are the
staircase she'll.
Both these shells are pure white in
color and exquisite in design. They
are the prizes of the sea. Like rare
violins they must be snapped up by the
collector whenever he sees them, for he
may never get the opportunity to
secure a specimen again.
"A curious specimen, without which
10 good collection is complete, is the
spondilus. This is rough shell of the
oyster family, large in shape. Speci-
mems consist of two shells held together
by a natural hinge. The interior is
richly tinted. Some are red, others
yellow, others pink. The American
spondilus has band of red along the
inner edge.
''Searchers for shells of gorgeous
colors cannot but admire the melon
shell This is shaped like melon and
is tinted like the inside of a cantaloupe.
One specimen has crown set on one
end. These shells are imported
from East India. Murex shells are
treasured also for their form and rich
hues, and are highly priced by collect
ors, They are rose, red, buff, brown
and white. the tints being spread as if
they had been painted with an artists
brush. Ceylon sends US some exquis-
lite specimens, and handsome ones are
obtained from Panama"
The conchologist then brought forth
a dozen or more large and brilliant !
hued shells
These" he cried in rapture, 'these !
are the star beauties of the shell fam !
lily. In all the gay jewelry of the ocean !
there is not gem that can surpass the |
splendors of the haliotis upivalve. The |
radiant pearl pales in glory before the |
exquisite blending of hues that beautify |
the univalve- When cleaned and pol |
ished both its outer and inner surface |
fairly blazes with color. 1t looks as if |
rainbow might have been melted upon |
it.
''You could search bric-a-brac collect
ions over throughout the world with
out finding any object that would so
quickly appeal TO and charm the eye. |
The haliotis is a native of the Pacific /
ocean.
The nautilus shell is another slightly
gem. This is a pearl shell of opales-
cent tint. OF which there are several |
pretty varieties. the rarest being the
the umbilicated specimen Among
what one might call the eccentric spec
linens of the she'll world are the collos-
sal fucus, which sometimes grow 20
two feet in length. and are curiously
formed the dipper shell, SO called be-
cause II is shaped like dipper. with
long. pointed handle; the angel wing !
and the Venus basket. The last !
named shell IS sort Of insect. looking
for all the world like film of lace