Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-03-16

peARLs A MYSTERY.
The MsShsd Used 70 orIm Round aWA
polt0h,

OVOUs
Nearly all OF the molluscous AM.
mails that are aquatic and reside In
shells are provided with fluid secre.
ton which they make use OF to line
their shell homes, and thus give to
the hard substance Of which the shell
Is formed smooth surface that can
in no way irritate the very tender
body OF the animal. The exact
nature OF this secretion has never
been satisfactorily determined, but
1t Is evidently deposited In thin,
semi transparent films, which over
lie each other irregularly, and to this
peculiar arrangem ent OF the films Is
attributed the iridescent luster OF
pearl.
In some species this penrly lining
is quite thick, and is used for making
many beautiful ani useful articles.
The material Is called mother oil
pearl by dealers and nacre by zoolog'
lists.
Frequently. when the shells are
opened, detached parts Of the nacre
are found. These loose orbs are
thought to be the result Of accidental
| causes. A grain OF sand or other
| substance, for example. may IN some
way get into the shell and irritate
the tender body of the occupant.
until, in self defense, 1t covers the
intruding particle with nacrc. AS
the secretion goes on regularly to
supply the wear and growth OF the
shell the foreign body constantly re-
ceives its full share, and thus In
creases In size until 1t becomes q
pearl.
The Chinese very cleverly make
use Of their knowledge OF this fact
to compel one species Of fresh water
mussel, unto hyria, to produce pearls
They keep the unios In tanks, anc
insert little spherical pieces o.
mother Of pearl or small leaden sho
between the shell and the mantle o
the animal; these regularly receive
their coatings Of the nacreous secre
ton, and after time they look lik'
pearls formed under ordinary cir
cumstances.
In many Of our museums SINAI
penrl images OF Buddah are to b.
seen, and arc considered great curl
osities. The Chinese obtain thes
images by imposing on the much
abused unios. They insert small i'm
ages OF the Buddah. stamped out
metal, and leave them In the shel
until they aro thickly coated wit
nacre.
The formation Of pearls seems I
have been u great puzzle to tn
ancients. Pliny and DESCRIBES mer
ton the very pretty belief that the
were drops Of dew or rain. which fe
into the shells when opened by til
animal, and were then changed int
pearls by some power OF the owner
Of the shell homes.
The most famous pearls are thos
from the East. From very earl
times tho coast OF Ceylon has bee
\ the chief locality for pearl fishing
now, however, pearls OF nearly I'll
\ same quality arc found In Panam
! st. Margarita. In tho West Indies
the BalIrein islands. tho Caromand
Coast and In other places,
When the pearl divers have oil
tanned a boat load OF the pearl oyste
thcy return to the shore and the
pile the precious cargo to die or
putrefy, 80 that the pearls may
easily found. When the occupan
:. Of the shells arc sufficiently decor
= posed the washing process begin
4 and the loose pearls, which are d
WAYS the most valuable, IRE cur
q fully watched for.
:. Tho largo pearls OF good color al
form ore the best; the smaller on
are sorted into sizes, tho very slnalle
\ being known us seed pearls.
70 any pearls are found attached to &
= shells they IRE handed over to Il
clippers, who, with pincers or hal
= mers, skillfully detach them. SUI
pearls ore, as a rule, used for settin
while the loose pearls are drilled o.
strung and are used In many ways.
Tho method employed to hold t
pearls while the workmen dri
n round and polish them Is very sing
J lar: A number OF holes OF sm'
depth are made In dry piece
wood, and In these tho pearls
?. fitted 80 that they ore only part
: beneath tho surface Of the WOO
then tho wood Is placed In water.
1t soaks up the water and swells
nd pearls become securely fixed and .
tIar ,york AL upNn