The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-07-21
RARE SHELLS.
OF One Species but Two Specimens Are
Known to Exist.

OF One Species but Two Specimens Are
known to Exist.
Interest in shell collecting is fast
growing" said one of the greatest i'm
porters of these wares recently, and it
is good thing, for in conchology the
novice will find revelation, while the
expert will linger in rapturous study of
the sea marvels. In shells you have
something that is distinctive. You can
make it a feature that will be attract
i've to friends who visit your home"
How much does it cost to secure a
good collection
THAT depends. of course, upon the
ideas of the collector. A very fair pri-
vate collection that will make a hand
some and interesting cabinet for the
study may be secured for from $40 to
s15 1t will include between 100 and
lis specimens These can be arranged
in the cabinet so that the varied tints,
and convolutions, and markings of the
shells will be most effectively shown.
Such a collection would be for an anna
teur. What we call regular collec-
ton, affording a 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 a collection one could enter
tain his friends for hours at a time,
pointing out the wondrous details of
markings, and tints. and curves, and
l.
such a collection would contain the
trumpeter."
what is the trumpeter?'
The shell merchant went to a case in
the rear of his store and lifted out a
conch-shaped shell nearly two feet in
length and marked like tortoise shell.
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.
1T 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 fog horn, and it makes
a 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
nv, the most expensive specimen of this
family. The Pacific coast gives us the
most beautiful and largest shell of the
olive family in the camp, or tented,
olive which has rows of tents on its
outer surface making it look like the
picture of 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
weavers' shuttle and the scallerea or
staircase shell
~Both these shells are pure white in
cOIOr anu SAquiSIJt III utSlSH Iney
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 specimen again.
"A curious specimen. without which
no 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
bv 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.
ssSearehers for shells of gorgeous
eolcrs cannot but admire the melon