been procured from a species of Pearl-mussel inhabiting the rivers of Florida.
Crossing
from the United States into Canada, we find ourselves in a country
which has yielded fresh-water Pearls of considerable size and beauty.
It appears that the Pearls occur more or less abundantly in most of the
small streams in the Province of Quebec, especially in the country to
the north of the City of Quebec, and also in the districts bordering on
the lower part of the river St. Lawrence. Some fine Canadian Pearls,
varying in weight from three to seventy grains, were exhibited at the
Colonial Exhibiton of 1886, by a jeweller, of Quebec. The exhibitor
tells us that being desirous of making himself practically acquainted
with the occurrence of the Pearls, he took a trip through the chief
Pearl-producing districts, in the month of August, 1885. This trip
occupied three weeks, of which time seventeen days were passed in
kneeling and paddling in a bark canoe, and in portaging through a
primitive region of very wild character. The streams which are richest
in Pearl-mussels are but little known, except to the Indians and
backwoodsmen, who take care to keep the localities as secret as
possible. Mr. Seifert's exploring party "prosecuted the toilsome task
of Pearl-fishing with the greatest perseverance, and after opening
several thousand mussels, succeeded
