The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-01-26
AN INTERESTING STUDY.
Curious Facts Concerning Shells of Lam


OF animal life upon the globe. Its study
is an interesting one. and even people
who are not of scientific turn of mind
find pleasure in looking on the ex-
quisite coloring and delicate beauty OF
many varieties of shells and on their
wonderful mechanism.
There is nothing which more delights
children than to wander along the sea-
shore and gather the little shells which
have been washed on the beach by the
restless waves. And then. too, when
some large specimen is found, with
SHAT eageruess the finder, whether
young or ola, will apply it to his or her
ear and hear from within its murmur'
ings, whereby, in the words of the
poet, it expresses mysterious union
with its native sea-
In the Smithsonian institution, at
Washington, there is a collection OF
fifty thousand shells, many of them OF
huge size, others strangely formed, and
some of iridescent colors which rival
the hues of sunset.
In examining these, there came to
mind many fables and traditions about
shells. There is the conch shell, which
was made into horn and blown by
old Triton and the attendants of Nep-
tune. Then there is the nautilus, OF
which Pope says:
Learn OF the little nautilus TO sail.
Spread the thin oar and catch the driving gale.
Many years ago. Dutch naturalist
went to the Indian seas to study shells.
When he came back he told the story
that the nautilus sailed in troops over
the sea, and were able, when they
wished, to fill themselves with water
and sink to the bottom.
This, it has been found, is cot true.
The nautilus commonly inhabits the
bottom of the sea, where it creeps
about, by means of large muscular
disc with which the head is furnished,
and it rarely rises to the surface, or is
seen floating there. The interior Of
the shell is divided into cham bers,
connected by little table, which affords
air. The shell has most exquisite col
oring, from pearly white to varied
motley.
It is really the argonaut, or paper
sailer," which does what has been
widely attributed to the nautilus. The
shell of the argonaut is tiny boat,
set upon keel of the most beautiful
workmanship. Tiny arms stretch
out from the sides and keep the boat
from capsizing. There is siphon in
the stern, through which the argonaut
drives in water and pumps it out again.
This sends the shell swiftly over the
water.
The animal, too, can separate itself
FROM the boat and attach itself again
as it pleases. The shells are thin and
white as snow. and seem as if breath
would crush them. And yet, although
they are so very fragile, they are taken
up by the ocean, carried hundreds ct
miles and laid down upon the shore
without injury.
The snail family is well known, and
is often quoted as an illustration of
slowness. Shakespeare speaks OF the
schoolboy creeping like snail unwill-
ingly to school," Snails, and most of
the shell tribe. have feet and can walk
with them, although their locolnotion
is painfully slow. Certain varieties of
snaAs have a very curious history.
Some of them are eight and ten inches
long; their colors are glorious, and
they can climb trees and come down
again.
The shells Of some are dark brown,
with zebra-like stripes, the tip of the
a perture being beautifully tinted with
crimson. Others are creamy white,
with zebra stripes of different colors
The natives are said to use them for
food, bat they have never been relished
by white men.
The snails on the Philippine islands
have shells of the most radiant colors
They are of wonderful beauty. and
some have been found having the col
ors of watered silk. They live in the
bark of trees and never ONE down.
All the snail tribe, with few excep-
tons, are egg layers; and in Brazil
and other parts of South A America, the
eggs are sold in the markets for food.
Enorm Gus shells are found on a reef
of the Indian ocean, twelve hundred
miles long, and to the east of Austria
liza. They grow to weigh hundreds of
pounds, and they have been seen as
large as ships longboat.
Fishermen are afraid of them, and
tell how they have bitten off arms
and legs. Scientists believe that they
live hundred years.
There is another curious shell-the
abalone. 1t resent les huge saucer,
and it stays the mos. of the time on
some rock. Inside, strong muscle at
tached to one end of the shell serves
as roof for it, and at the other end is
a foot. provided with powerful sue
ton cup.
The abalone gets on top of a rock.
which is covered part Of the time by
.he edge of its shell, and the water
brings aD;malcula, on which it makes
It's dinner.
Along the coast Of California abaloae
are taken for food by Cinnamon. The
arge muscle is dried, and great guam
titles are sent yearly 10 China.
When a Chinaman goes out hunting
Tor abalone and finds one. he may
chance unthinkingly to put his fingers
under the uplifted lid of the she'll The
balone is startled. and lowers the cov-
n. The powerful muscle contracts, I
he foot has a suction power OF tons on
he rock. and nothing can dislodge it. /
The man is prisoner, and when the
.ide comes mp, he perishes- y. Ii. Sin !
Hair. in Golden DAYS
Cannibsls In the Gulf Of California
Unlikely "a it may seem TO some who