Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-09-30

| LO1 rOh SNAiIs
health and life in the pursuit of wealth
and fame These will do as much for
shells
| Some collect all kinds. others marine
shells only, or fresh water clans, or
land snails, or the minute forms only.
| They are called conchologists or
cranks. according to taste and circum-
stances. An attempt was made to
change the title to malacologist but it
did not stick Some are millionaires,
and one of the best collectors Is q
| stonemason. One Of the most success
ful discOverers is the wife of United
States Judge, one of the best authori-
ties farmer Many are physicians OF
clergymen. | am positively the only
journalist. author and poet in the busi-
ness
Including the fossils, there are about
10000 known species. Specialists in
fossils are paleOntologists. OF land
shells in the United States alone there
are 375 species; of fresh water clans,
about 1000; Of other flesh water shells,
perhaps 200 or more. | don't know.
am only a specialist in land shells.
Probably William Fl. Dali Of the
Smithsonian institution and II. A. Pills
bry of the Philadelphia Academy of
Sciences are the best living authorities
upon land shells; DR.. V. Sterki of New
Philadelphia, o., upon minute shells
and William A. Marsh of Aledo, Ills,
n nd C'bo rIaSrr S;p,pcon of fba Sp,ifbcan
ian upon fresh water CLANS. Professor
Pilsbry is now completing a work
commenced by the late DR.. Tryon, Civ
ing description, illustrated, of every
known shell. When completed, copy
Of the hand painted edition will cost
are still being discovered and described
at the rate of about half a dozen per
month.
Eying for beauty and variety with
the marine shells come the tree or
arboreal shells of our new possessions.
Cuba and the Philippines In marine
shells believe the southwest coast Of
Florida and the Mediterranean tak.,
the lead. In fresh water shells the
states of Alabama. Tennessee and Ken-
lucky, followed by Ohio, Illinois and
Kansas, are probably the best In the
world. OF land shells upon the Pacific
slope and in the mountains of Ten
nessee and North Carolina the collect
Ors find their finest and greatest va
riety. The shells of the Pacific slope
have variegated colors and n glazed
surface. They are more like the land
shells of Europe than of America.
The clans are usually divided by
mountain ranges. A professor will tell
you, This shell belongs to the Allan
tic slope. the Mississippi valley or the
lake region, but one of these, one OF
the slowest, Unio cOmplanata, is found
on the Atlantic slope. in the lake re
gion, on both the east and western
slopes of the Rocky mountains and
again in Japan. Perhaps this shell is
older than the mountains"
At Candles store in east Tennessee,
in the month Of July, wrapped iii IL
pound blanket, lay in the bottom of
a wagon bed gazing at the stars and
the fireworks on Mount Nebo. 1t was
the first night of the season in camp,
and sleep was out of the question. In
truth. / was having good time and
did not want to sleep. Above the roar
of the dam on Little river l could hear
the hooting of real owl on the real
ChilhOwee.
And how could l sleep il l wanted
to? This was the land Of the chill
howeensis. A dozen would be bagged
before breakfast, and, besides, there
are others.
We did not. however, obtain any
specimens before break
fast, as we We're not up in time, but
our search was amply rewarded after
ward.
The sparkling river where 10 spinosd,
with knobs like conch. were feeding
In the algae was a jeweled paradise,
and bknew that In the dark glens I'M
der those stately trees and ferny beds
the chilhoweensis was slipping the |
dew
The chilhOwsensis. OF. more proper
y, Polygera sayii chilh0weensis, is the
King of American land shells. 1t is only
IN inch and half across at most. but
% all collectors who find 1t roaming