Gems Notes and Extracts Augusto Castellani, Mrs. John Brogden 1871

170 GEMS.Bivalves in which pearls are found are of threekinds, and are called in scientific language meleagrinamargaritifera, haliotis gigas, haliotis iris.There is another pearl, but of inferior quality, procuredfrom a shell which is known to mariners underthe name of putellamola, or sea-ear.The most valued bivalve is the meleagrina margaritifera,otherwise known as the pearl oyster.Pearl oysters inhabit both eastern and western seas,but always in warm latitudes.Inferior bivalves and the pearliferous turbinite arefound in other seas, and in many rivers.Where the meleagrine are found collected in greatquantities they are distinguished by the name ofpearl banks. The most celebrated of these lie nearthe coasts of Ceylon, the Persian Gulf, near Japan, inthe waters of Java and Sumatra, near the Isthmus ofPanama, and at the mouths of the Eio la Hacha, inAmerica.The ear-shells and bivalves which live in rivers aretaken by hand ; but, on account of marine monsters,the fishing of meleagrine oysters is very dangerous, asthey adhere to the deep submarine rocks.In the East pearl fishers before going out receiveextreme unction from their priests; and, on reachingthe pearl bank, they murmur a prayer, throw themselvesinto the sea, rake up oysters as long as they canremain under water, and then rise up to deposit theirtake in the boats. After a little rest, they return totheir dangerous fishing.