Variety of colorful shells including Cardium; Etheria; Tridacna and Chama shells.Bucarde geante : Cardium magnumEtherie plombee : Etheria plumbeaTridacne faitiere : Tridacna squammosaCame corne de Daim : Chama damaecornisHandcolored engraving from Charles d'Orbigny's 鈥楧ictionnaire Universel d'Histoire Naturelle' (Universal Dictionary of Natural History) 1849. Charles d'Orbigny (1806~76) was a French naturalist. His father Charles Marie was a doctor in the French army and his elder brother Alcide was a famous naturalist and paleontologist. Charles started his studies at La Rochelle then left to study medicine in Paris. In 1834; he won an appointment in the geology department at the National Museum of Natural History. From 1837 to 1864 he headed the department of natural history; until ill health forced him to quit. He died in Paris on Feb. 14; 1876.