Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-06-17
GRABS
DR.. EDWORD'S SAYS PHILIPPINES ARE
FAMOUS FOR VARIETY OF LAND
SHELLS.
Interesting Description OF Land Shells.
Giant Clam Shells. Pearl Oysters. Crabs.
Shrimps, Lobsters. and Fish Market
Of Manila.

Of Manila.
Manila, P. l., May S:-The Philip
pines are famous for the abundance
and variety of land shells which are,
with few exceptions, formed by
size and color, and many of them are
extremely beautiful. There are a
number of species of edible oysters
and CLANS, which are eaten by the
natives. and sometimes by the Euro
peans who come here, but none of
them compare with the oysters and
CLANS of America. The shells of one
species, cut into thin plates of
squares of two inches on a side. are
used in place of glass for windows.
They are translucent, and are set in
sliding wooden frames, producing
much the same effect as ground glass.
| Shells of the enormous giant clam
sometimes attain the length of from
five TO six feet, and weigh hundreds Of
pounds. The valves are frequently
used for baptismal fonts, and the
natives use them for utensils of many
kinds in addition to burning them for
lime. Divers are much afraid Of
with wise like grip. and when one
gets his hand inside one of these
shells in deep water he is held until
he is drowned. Numerous accidents
of this kind are reported at various
places along this coast.
True pearl oysters are found in
manv places along the southern coast
of Mindanao. and in the Sulu arch
ipelago. They are especially fine and
abundant in the latter region, and
many valuable pearls are found there.
There are no more expert divers in
the world than the Moros, who train
themselves to remain under water two
minutes and sometimes longer. The
wonderful pearly nautilus. or as it is
more generally known. the ohambered
nautilus, is so common that it's she'll
is used by natives as drinking cuIs.
Shrimps, crabs and Holsters abound
in the waters of the archipelago. and
form an important part of the food
supply of the natives who live along
the coast. One of the strange crabs
found here is the giant or spider crab.
the spread of the claws sometimes
reaching fifteen feet. The tree crab.
which is land crab. living off the
cocoanut, is found on some Of the
islands. This is large hairy crab
which climbs the cocoanut trees, and
detaches the nut. The crab then
breaks the shells by dashing them on
rocks, and feeds ON the meat.
It is strange that with all this
wonderful form of marine life. that
the fish market of Manila is not near
so interesting as in Honolulu. This is
accor ornted for in p.rt from the fact
that the fish do pot keep in this
climate and they have to be eaten
shortly after being taken from water
or they spoil. In Honolulu the eli
mate does not deteriorate the fish ESQ
quickly, and the market is constant
source of pleasure. Here the fish are
carried about by the natives and
Cbinamen in baskets and disposed of
from house to house.
Owners of fish corrals make steady
income. and in return for the privi-
lege they have to pay tax to the
village nearest to the fishing ground
which they occupy. With the great
plenty of fish for propagation have
been taken. but some of the natives
have hit upon the plan of catching
small fish of species which grow
rapidly. placing them in closed ponds
and feeding them until they become
Of marketable size. These fish are
sold alive and afford fresh fish at any
/ time.
| The tree oyster is found in many
places in lagoons. These oysters at
tach themselves TO the limbs of over
hanging trees which droop into the
water at high tide. and when the tide
| falls the oysters are carried into the
air They appear like immense
strings of beads attached to the slen-
der limbs of the trees, and are gath
cred by natives in boats who find this
the easiest way Of getting something
to eat. These oysters have peculiar
flavor and are not palatable to an
American, and are eaten only by the
natives. One can hardly believe that
oysters grow ON trees but ali you nave
to do Is to travel along any of the
lagoons on the islands aud you will
see them by millions. Some of the
oysters here grow to immense size.
but 1t is claimed that they are poison
GUS. Many Of the molluscs are poison
GUS, and it is we'll for the stranger to
ask questions about the shell fish he
finds before he attempts to make q
meal of them. ! have known of three
cases of severe illness following the
eating Of oysters fresh from the
water.