New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-17
COLLECTOR OF SHELLS.
Mrs. Smith Takes Delight in Odd
and Beautiful Specimens.

1t is easy TO appear learned when talking
about shells" said Mrs. Nellie NJ Gould Smith,
81 Worcester, Mass. she faced her audience
OF fellow graduates of Wheaton Seminary after
the February luncheon OF the Wheaton Club at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday Few people
know anything about shells, which seems the
greater pity. because shells are particularly
satisfactory kind OF thing to collect Shells know
decay. Birds. animals. botanical collections
all dry up and drop to pieces. but shells go on
indefinitely My shells have willed 10 a museum
and ] suppose they will be telling thelr story
long after am gone"
Mrs. Smith says her collection numbers about
twenty-five hundred shells, three hundred or so
OF which she brought on with her in trunk
from Massachusetts. Yesterday they were spread
about on three tables before her, and as she
told Of the marvels OF conchology she Illus
trated her points by selecting some queer or
beautiful specimen.
NY interest in shells dates from the summer
Of 1897" Mrs. Smith said. when went for rest
20 q seashore resort where there was shell
museum. ] thought the prices asked eNorbitant,
but ended by buying this shetland she picked
up a lovely rose flushed chrysanthemum she'll
ali stir spines and tentacles That was the
nucleus Of my collection. No stranger who looks
in my cabinet ever catches sight Of that shell
that he doesn't exclaim, on. chrysanthemum!
chrysauthemum.' Yet 10 Aristotle it looked so
much like an artichoke he called It the artichoke
shell These shells are found in great quantities
in Southern California where the natives Doll
them for lime. They bring SIS
Mrs Smith had lot 10 tell about the mol
hlsk. which she described as "a perfect little
machine shop" He may be an automatic
worker" she added hut for that very reason
he never has 70 say The mistakes OF my life
have been many" By means Of a diagram she
explained the molfusks meagre little anatolnl-
cal outfit and then she went TO tell how the
,noIlusk begins 10 make his shell when he be-
gins 10 grow. And the most wonderful part
of IL all is. he knows when his shell is done.
Nobody else does. but he knows II his shell
gets broken he viii mend IL at once, continuing
the pattern and coloring as II nothing had hap
pened.
picked UP two brown notified obcng shells
(which roll a thin mantle OF the stony fluid
with which they build their shells up over them
when the shell is completed. The mantel comes
the back. II the shell is captured when its tiny
inmate is alive, one can roll this skin back and
underneath the surface VIII be found beautifully
.colored and polished. But find the shell when
its builder is dead. and no human art can pro-
duce those effects
Then there were Triton or wreathed shells.
which some people have utilized for tea kettles
and others for lamps. Used as a dinner horn
they make unearthly noise according to Mrs.
Smith. A string Of pearly land shells from the
Philippines six shells on one string and one
string 10 a bead. formed a sort Of double to
row of w6mpum from Catalina Island, off Cali
fornia- whence tons OF Indian trophies have been
sent TO different museums in the country.
''Of the hundreds OF shells ! own" said the
speaker at the end, only one nave picked up
myself That was on Catalina Island. II is
hard 10 get collectors TO part with their shells,
for they all feel they want three OF kind or,
at least a pair. Shells are so much more i'm
pressive when massed.