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VALUES AND COMMERCE OF PEARLS 351
vanced."
Whereupon the writer said: "I can give you statistics for two hundred
years preceding your earliest experience, which prove that pearls
constantly advanced in value during that period."
The following are the names given to the different kinds of pearls, according to their origin.
The
term "oriental" designates those pearls that are found in the true
pearl-oyster, and have a marine or salt-water origin, being found
either in the ocean or one of its adjacent tributaries, and belonging
to one of the numerous species of the Margaritiferse.
The
term "fresh-water" is given to those pearls that are found in the
fresh-water brooks, rivulets, rivers, or fresh-water lakes, and not in
salt water, and which belong to the Unionidse.
The
term "conch" is applied to that variety of pearl which is usually pink,
or yellow, in color, and that is either found in the univalve shell,
known as the common conch (Strombus gigas), or in the yellow shell ( Cassis madagascarensis ).
The
word "clam pearl" is used to designate those pearls that are found in
the common clam of the Atlantic coast, and are either black, dark
purple, purple, or mixed with white, more especially if they are boiled.
"Placuna
pearl" designates those pearls that are found in the Pla-cuna, or
window-glass shell, in the East. They have a micaceous luster, are
rarely of much value, and are sold entirely in the Orient, almost
exclusively for medicinal purposes.
"Oyster
pearl" signifies those concretions that are found in the common edible
oyster (Ostrea). They are generally black, purple, or with a mixture of
black and white, or purple and white. They are devoid of nacreous
luster and possess neither beauty nor value.
"Coque
de perle" designates the globuse walls of the nautilus and possibly
other shells that have a pearly nacre ; they are almost hemispherical
and are either round or long, having a pearly effect.
"Abalone" : a name applied to those pearls that are found in the univalve "ear-shell" or awabi, as
it is called in Japan. They are generally green, blue-green, or
fawn-yellow, and have an intense red, flame-like iridescence. They are
rarely round, generally flat, or irregular, and are occasionally worth
several hundreds of dollars each.
"Pinna
pearls" : those pearls that are found in the Pinna, or wing-shells of
the Mediterranean and adjacent seas. These possess no orient, but are
more highly crystalline than any other pearls. They are almost
translucent and have a peculiar red or yellow color, and are of little
value except locally.
"Cocoanut
pearl" : this name is given to those pearls that are found in the giant
oyster or clam of the vicinity of Singapore ; they are erro-
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