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THE BOOK OF THE PEARL
neously called cocoanut pearls because they have the appearance of the meat of the cocoanut. They are often of great size, but have no com­mercial value.
The following are special designations of the different varieties of pearls according to their forms and appearance :
Paragon: this term was formerly used to designate large and ex­ceptionally perfect or beautiful pearls, usually weighing over one hun­dred grains.
Round: when the pearl is absolutely spherical, as if turned on a lathe, without any flattening or any indentations on the sides.
Button or Bouton : if the pearl is domed on top and has either a flat or slightly convex back.
Pear-shaped : when the pearl is formed like a pear, terminating in a point, and is either flat at the lower end or rounded.
Drop-shaped: when the pearl is elongated like a pear, but is larger at the lower end than a pear-shaped pearl.
Egg-shaped : when ovate in form, rounded more or less at each end, or formed like an egg.
Cone-shaped : applied to pearls that are elongated and rounded with one flat end, and have the form of a cone.
Top-shaped: a name given to those pearls that are broad, flattened at the top and rounded on the sides, terminating in a point, like a top.
Seed-pearls is a name given to pearls that are round or irregular, and weigh one fourth grain or even less. They are frequently so small that 18,000 are contained in a single ounce, and they are often sent from the East in bunches of about a dozen or so of strings.
Dust-pearls. When seed-pearls are very small they are known as "dust-pearls" ; they are really as fine as dust and have very little value ; still, their form is in many cases wonderfully perfect.
Petal pearls are those which are somewhat flat, frequently more pointed at one end than at the other, and have the appearance of a petal or leaf.
Hinge pearls are those pearls that are long, generally pointed at either or both ends, and are found near the hinge part of the shell. They are divided into two distinct forms, namely dog-tooth, and wing-shaped.
Wing pearls : those that are elongated or irregular, resembling a wing or part of a wing.
Dog-tooth: applied to pearls with pointed ears, elongated, and which are narrower than the wing pearls.
Slugs: a name used for the very irregular, distorted pearls, fre­quently made up of masses or groups of small pearls ; usually without luster or form, and of little value except for medicinal purposes.