ar the pond mussels placed
upon some of the tables (38-41). The tables numbered from 24 to 30 are
covered with the varieties of hard shells, which, however, present no
points of interest to the general visitor, who may at once pass on to
the varieties of the Nautilus and Argonaut, (tables 23, 24). And here,
too, we must entreat the visitor to forget the poetic history of the
inhabitants of those beautiful shells, and learn that the extended
arms of the nautilus are used only to clasp its shell; that it has no
sails of any kind. The varieties of the paper nautilus, or argonaut,
are the most delicate and beautiful. The next table (22) displays the
shell of the curious carrier, that embodies all kinds of foreign
substances with its shell; the slipper shell, and the rose bud. Upon
the next table (21) are the Screws; the curious ladder shells from
China; and upon table 20, are the varieties of fresh water Clubs. The
next two tables (18, 19) display some curious and beautiful shells,
including Venus's ear, the pagoda shell, and varieties of Snails,
including the apple snails. Proceeding on his southern way, the
visitor should pause to notice the ear shells, placed upon tables 18,
17, including the beautiful rainbow; the button shells, the rainbow
eardrop, and the pyramid upon table 16; the pomegranate from the Cape
of Good Hope, New Zealand imperial, and pheasant, and the West Indian
golden sun, upon table 15; the weaver's shuttle and pig cowries,
including the Chinese variety, highly valued by the Chinese, as an
ornament; also upon table 15, more varieties of cowries, including the
money cowry of Africa, used there as money, and the orange cowry from
the Friendly Islands, where it is worn as an ornament; the five
varieties of the Volutes, including the red clouded volute, the
Chinese imperial volute, the bishop's mitre, and the papal crown,
distributed upon tables 12 and 13. The Melons, the large varieties of
which are put to domestic uses by the Chinese, the olives, and butter
shells, upon table 11; the magilus, whelks, and the needle shell upon
table 10; the purple shell that emits the colour from which it is
named, the mulberry shell, and the unicorn shell, distributed upon
table 9; the tun shell, the harps, the harp helmets, and the helmets
upon which cameos are carved, distributed about tables 8 and 7; the
spindle shells, including the great tulip shells, and the turnip
shells, occasionally used as oil-vessels in Indian