The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-07-21

she'll This is shaped like a melon and
is tinted like the inside of cantaloupe.
One specimen has a 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
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 jeweIry of the ocean
there is not a gem that can surpass the
splendors of the haliotis univalve. 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
a rainbow might have been melted upon
it.
"You could search bric-abrac collect
ions over throughout the world with
out finding any object that would so
quickly appeal to and charm the eye.
The haliotis is native of the Pacific
ocean.
1.-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 shell world are the collos-
sal fucus, which sometimes grow to
two feet in length, and are curiously
formed, the dipper shell, so called be-
cause it is shaped like dipper. with a
long, pointed handle: the angel wing
and the Venus basket. The last
named shell is sort of insect, looking
for all the world like a film of lace.
The basket shell is shaped like cor
nucopia. and is SO brittle that il is diff
cult to secure perfect specimen. 1t is
snow-white and of the most exquisite
design.
THE angel wing is also white shell
and is bivalve. The two halves look
like folded wings. with the feathers
clearly outlined on the outer surface.
These shells are found in the West
Indies. There are hundreds of these
prizes, including the black helmet. n
shell that is not very rare but which
can be made very beautiful by carv-
ing. The ancients cut their canoes
from the helmet shells. They are
large and make striking ornaments for
the top of bookcase or table"
what is the rarest shell of ALP"
That" said the conchologiSt, lis tho
superb specimen that is called The
Cone of the Holy Mary Why it is so
called l do not know, but it is the
rarest because there are but two known
specimens in existence. One of them
is in the British museum. and the shell
is valued at several thousand pounds
sterling-a sort of Kohinoor among
shells of wondrous beauty and rarity"
''What is the largest shell known?"
1.-The giant oyster. You can see
giant oyster shells on exhibition in
front of several well-known oyster
shops in town. They are imported
from India. remember that import
ed pair that measured three and a
half by four feet. They weighed near
ly five hundred pounds"
"And the smallest shell?"
rs the rice she'll Lying in bulk in
a basket or barrel the shell would be
readily mistaken for rice grains -
Pearson's Weekly.