Tour the Smithsonian After its First Fifty Years

The shells on exhibition are those prepared for the World's Exposition at New Orleans, in I885, where they attracted extraordinary attention. The general arrangement is a geographical one, and presents a characteristic representation of the molluscan forms of various zoologicogeographical provinces. Thus the marine shells of the Atlantic coast of North America, from the extreme north to the Gulf of Mexico form one series, while a like series showing the Pacific coast shells of America is placed beside it, those from Alaska being emphasized, because so largely new to science. In other cases.will be found a collection of the brilliantly tinted shells of the Indo-Pacific region, including not only marine forms, but a great variety of brightly colored and graceful landdwelling species.

Another set exhibits shells noteworthy because of their rarity, or the peculiarity of their forms; while another case contains those of unusual size or beauty, many of which are serviceable in the arts. These are followed by the edible mollusks.

All mollusks are more or less edible, perhaps, but those that have a commercial importance in America are easily enumerated, and their virtues have been described in Bull. Nat. Mus., No. 27, pp. 185-270. The principal ones are the oyster, claxns, embracing the hard clam or quahaug (Venus), and the soft clam (Mya), of the Atlantic, and several Pacific species: the scallop, mussels, of two species , and the abalone. The value in 1879 of the oyster fishery of the United States was about $13,500,000; that of the clam fishery about $1,000,000; and that of the abalone, $127,000, (See " Country Cousins," chap. xx.) Few other mollusks are eaten in this country, except by savages; but in the Old World various cephalopods, and such gasteropods as whelks, periwinkles, and snails are regularly utilized. Beyond the information to be derived from regular works on conchology, the Reports of the U. S. Fish Com. and the Tenth Census contain extended accounts of all the mollusca which have any economic importance either beneficially, or injuriously; for mollusks may become pests by preying upon artificially planted oysters, by destroying sub-marine woodwork as does the shipworm (Teredo) or by eating away reefs and breakwaters as do certain pholads. The most important of the Census documents referred to is Ingersoll's " Monograph of the Oyster Industries," an illustrated quarts of 250 pages, treating of the natural history, distribution, cultivation and preparation for market, of the American oyster.

In another series are embraced shells used in the arts, together with the art-work produced from them.

The shells of the larger mollusks are extensively employed in the making of ornaments, jewelry and especially buttons. There are many factories in the country devoted wholly to the making of shell buttons, and the trade in abalone (Haliotis) shells alone for this purpose annually amounts to a very large sum. From the large dish-shaped pearl oyster of the Gulf of California and other tropical shallows, is obtained mother-of-pearl, which is the nacreous inner coating of that bivalve ; and the same mollusk produces nearly all the pearls of commerce. By cutting through the nacre and exposing a different later underneath, are produced upon the conch or the helmet shell cameos, admired for their delicacy. Shells contribute largely to household implements. especially among savages (See ARCHAEOLOGY), while the larger kinds serve as trumpets, vases, lamps, dishes and other receptacles, baptismal fonts, &c.

A feature of this department which especially pleased the visitors at New Orleans, and is of interest to all inlanders, are the mussels of our fresh-water lakes, and the snails of our gardens and woodland , the great variety and plenitude of which is suspected by few persons.

Finally, I must not forget to mention the models of the giant squid (Architeuthis) and cuttlefish (Octopus, of the northwest coast), which belong zoologically to this department, but are hung in the Fisheries Court.

Both these animals are mollusks of the cephalopod order, by which is meant that their limbs (in the case of the squids, ten in number, in the octopus, eight) arise from the head; the mouth is seen surrounded by the roots of the flexible sucker-armed limbs, which grasp, enfold and draw in the prey; and it is provided with powerful horny beaks.

Of squids there are a great number of species, though few reach the proportions of Architeuthis, which has been known greatly to exceed the dimensions of this model. They are valuable in the Bank fisheries as bait; from one sort, the calamary comes the bone used as pounce, as a food for birds, &c., and from another sepia. As for those gigantic squids, Verrill expresses the opinion that they inhabit the colder fiords of Newfoundland, and are rarely seen at the surface unless disabled. They seem to resemble in habits the smaller and better known species, swimming backward with great speed by forcing a jet of water out of the funnel, which protrudes just below the mouth, and hiding their course when alarmed by pouring out a cloud of "ink ". When cast ashore they serve the men lucky enough to find them as dog-meat, bait, or manure.

The octopus represented by the model is of the largest of the "devil-fishes" or cuttle-fishes. To the same family belong the argonaut, or paper nautilus of fanciful fame, and the edible octopi of the Mediterranean and Chinese seas, This animal is also an object of capture to the Indians of Puget sound and the Northwest coast, who go in canoes to its rocky haunts on the outer reefs and spear it, as it lies in wait for some swimming prey, for all these cephalopods are carnivorous. The flesh is boiled for food; and also is used as bait in certain fishing.

These models are made of paper over plaster molds cast from actual specimens. They are the work of Mr. E. H. Emerton, of New Haven, and ehcited great interest in England, whither they were sent to the Fisheries Exhibition of 1883.

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