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Ch. 5: Mother-of-Pearl Shells

Ch. 5: Mother-of-Pearl Shells Page of 341 Ch. 5: Mother-of-Pearl Shells Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
Mother-of-Pearl Shell.                      99
the hole of a borer is disclosed, the shell is passed aside, if, however, the shell is solid at that spot, the blister is cut out with a hammer and punch, and split open, in the hope of finding a Pearl within.
The Meleagrinœ, in common with all oysters and mussels, produce an enormous quantity of ova, a very small proportion of which ever escape their numerous enemies, and succeed in establishing themselves in their sub-marine world. The "spat" is carried here and there by the currents until it succeeds in attaching itself to some obstacle that may have arrested its onward course, and here it probably remains for life, unless some accident happens to detach it again, such as the heavy seas caused by hurricanes. Several thousands of Pearl shells have been washed up on the Australian coast after a "blow." Turtle also may disturb shells ; they are very fon: of the luscious morsel within, and full-grown shells may be found bitten to pieces by their powerful mandibles. There was found by our fleet in 1884, a shell that at a certain period of its growth had been broken, probably by a turtle, but the oyster had succeeded in secreting fresh layers of nacre within, before harm came to it, and the old accident was only detected by the fracture at the back of the shell. This case again furnishes
Ch. 5: Mother-of-Pearl Shells Page of 341 Ch. 5: Mother-of-Pearl Shells
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