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Ear Shells — Part 2

This is the "Sea Ear" of English collectors, the "Silieux," (six eyes), of the French fishing villages. In the "kitchen middens" this is a noticeable species, showing that the muscular foot was an article of food among European aborigines. Necklaces were also made by stringing perforated bits of the shell. Farmers on the Channel Islands hang strings of ormers on poles in their grain fields to jingle in the wind and gleam in the sun, and so frighten away small birds.

After being cleaned, the shells are pearly throughout, and exceptionally beautiful in form and texture.

H. asinina, Linn., is mentioned here because of its unusual shape. Its shell is greatly elongated and often kidney-shaped. It is rarely over three inches long. The elevated spire has three whorls. There are five to seven oblong open holes. The surface is smooth, greenish or ruddy, and ornamented with beads of several bright colours. The lining is pearly. The foot is prolonged to correspond with the shell. This unique species is found from Japanese to Australian waters.

The greatest number of kinds and variation of form among ear shells occur in the Australian region. But our own west coast is the home of the species of the largest size.