During the summer months, the Arabs prosecute a small pearl-fishery along the coasts of the Red Sea. The captured molluscs are taken ashore and exposed to the sun, when they quickly open ; they are than examined for pearls, and throwu away. The headquarters of this fishery is Jedda. The shipments of mother-of-pearl from this fishery from Alexandria are said to amount to about 12,000 cwt. annually, less than half coming to Birmingham. The pearl-mussel fishery in the Persian Gulf, principally on the banks of the island of Bahrein, is also in the hands of the Arabs. The best beds are said to be level, and formed of fine whitish sand, overlying the coral, in clear water. About 4000-5000 boats are engaged, and the annual value of the harvest may be placed at 600,000/. The beds occur at all depths down to 18 fathoms, and probably lower ; the chief diving is in 4-7 fathoms. The season lasts from April till September. The ahells are mostly taken first to the little port of Lingah, whence a considerable quantity of mother-of-pearl is shipped direct to London, and a lesser amount to the Continent. Many of the pearls go to Bombay, especially theae of yellowish colour and perfect apherioity ; Bagdad is a great market for the seed-pearls, and those of white hue. The Persian Gulf shells that reach here are mostly small, and dark-edged, but they fetch a better price than Panama and Tahiti shells. The imports are seldom less than 3000-5000 owt. yearly. The values (in rupees of 2s.) of the exports from Persian Gulf ports in 1879 were as follows :—from Bahrein : 1000 r. to India and 300 r. to Persian coast and Mekran, of mother-of pearl ; 18,00,000 r. to India, 3000 7'. to Red Sea and Aden, 4000 r. to Persian coast and Mekrau, and 4000 r. to Koweit, Bussorah and Bagdad, of pearls ; from Bushire: 14,000 r. to England, of mother-of-pearl ; from Lingah : 50,000 r. to England, 20,000 r. to India, and 4900 r. to Persian coast and Mekran, of mother-of-pearl ; 22,25,000 to India, and 15,000 r. to Koweit, Bussorah and Bagdad, of pearls. Thus the total ascertained exports had a value of 41,37,200 r., or over 40,0001.
The Ceylon or Tinnevelly fishery is situated on the W. coast of Ceylon, in the Gulf of Manaar, southwards of the island of that name, and along the opposite coast of tho Indian continent, near Tuticorin. The banks lie in groups: the first, opposite the village of Arippu, comprises the so called Peria-Par, Peria-Par Karai, Cheval-Par, Kallutidel-Par, and Modaragam-Par ; facing the village of Karaitivu, is the bank of that name ; and off the village of Chilaw, are Karakupanai-Par and Jekenpedai-Par. These banks are 6-8 miles from the shore, and 5i-81 fathoms below the surface. They consist of masses of rocky ground, rising from the sandy bottom, and are probably exposed to ocean currents. These grounds are under the control of an Inspector appointed by the local government, and are worked exolusiveli by the government, who employ native diver-, and give them of the proceeds. Experience has shown that few pearls, and those of little value, are to be found in molluscs under 5 years old ; during the 5th-6th years, the value doubles, and is said to double again during the 7th year ; the pearls are immature and imperfect if removed too soon, but the 'animal is liable to death or destruction if left too long. Intervals are therefore allowed to elapse between the fishings, varying in length according to the reports of the inspector. Until 1863, there was but little system in the operations ; the yields of the fisheries had been : —1796-1809, 517,481/. ; 1814-1820, 89,909/. ; 1828-1837, 227,132/. ; 1855-1860, 117,454/. In 1863, 22 days' fishing produced 11,695,000 oysters, whose yield of pearl was valued at 51,018/. The next fishing was in 1874, when 1,700,000 oysters gave 10,1201. worth of pearls. The fishing of 1877 lasted 30 days, and afforded 6,850,000 oysters, giving pearls to the value of 18,9521. The 1879 harvest was unexpectedly good ; 12 days' fishing produced 7,650,000 oysters. The fishery of 1880 lasted from Mar. 9th to April 2nd, and the 11 days' operations resulted in a take of 11,500,000 oysters. This year's (1881) report states that 60,000,000 oysters might be fished, and might
realise 60,000/., the sample pearls fished giving the shells an average value of 10-12 rupees (of 2s.) a 1000. The fishing is conducted with extreme regularity. The divers relieve each other at intervals ; when the boats come ashore, their harvest is removed to a shed, being handed to the divers as their remuneration.
After the pearls are collected, they are classified, sized, and valued. The classification is as follows :—(1) Ante, pearls of perfect sphericity and lustre ; (2) anathorie, failing in one of these points ; (3) masengoe, failing slightly in both points ; (4) kalippo, failing still more ; (5) korowel, double ; (6) peesal, misshapen ; (7) oodwoe, beauty ; (8) mandongoe, bent or folded ; (9) Aural, very small and misshapen ; (10) thool," seed." The sizing is effected by passing them through a suc cession of brass cullenders, called " baskets," having the size and shape of large saucers. There are 10-12 of these. The first is perforated with 20 holes, and the pearls which do not pass through it by shaking are called "of the 20th basket." The succeeding baskets have 30, 50, 80, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, each giving the name corresponding with its number of holes to the pearls that do not pass through. After sizing, the pearls are weighed, and their value is then expressed at a rate " per chow," which term embraces all the qualities which have been estimated.
China possesses a pearl-mussel fishery near Pakhoi. The grounds are divided into four districts, lying between the S. coast of the Pakhoi Peninsula, the island of Weichow, and the Leichow Peninsula. The fishery takes place every 10-15 years ; the last (1875) gave a value of 30,000 tacis (of 6s.). Cochin China has an extensive commerce in mother-of-pearl, obtained mostly in the Bay of Tirwar. On the N. coast of Japan, is a considerable fishery of awabi (Haliotis gigantea), a mussel affording mother-of-pearl, which is much esteemed by the Japanese and Chinese. The Philippine Islands produce large quantities of mother-of-pearl. The exports were 155 tons, value 17,4021., in 1877, and 152 tons, 17,0731., in 1878 ; in 1879, 2198 pietas (of 139i lb.), value 16,0451., were shipped to the Straits Settlements and India. The whole extensive range from the Tawi-Tawi Islands and Sulu, as far as Baselan, is one vast continued bed of pearl-mussels, principally of the behoren or mother-of-pearl species, called tip/ by the natives, but there is also a large area occupied by the Ceylon oyster, termed kapis by the Malays. The principal banks of the latter are found in Maludu Bay. The fishery is carried on by both Chinese and Malays. The Sulu fishery, about Tawi-Tawi, is described by Moore as being superior in extent and productiveness to all others. The Sulu pearls have always been celebrated as the most valuable produced ; the mother-of-pearl shell is distin guished by the yellow colour of the border and back, rendering it unfit for some purposes. Some 2500-3000 cwt. are sold annually. Labuan is the chief mart for the Sulu product ; in 1868, the value was 11,5541. ; in 1870, it had fallen to 56861., and still lower in 1878. A few inferior pearls arc obtained from a small oyster in Borneo. Macassar is the market for the pearl-mussels found by the natives of the Bayos. In Kau Bay, between the N. and N.-E. peninsulas of the island of Hal mahera, are pearl-banks belonging to the Sultan of Ternate. The sea about the Aru Islands affords both pearls and mother-of-pearl, which are taken to Dobbo. The pearl-banks on the W. side are rich, hut have hitherto been neglected. The head-quarters of the pearl-fishery is the Blakong Tanah, on the E. side of the islands, facing New Guinea. This is the most important pearl-fishery in the whole Archipelago. In 1860, the product was 2500 pietas (nf 134 lb.), value 190,000 fr., and 20,000 fr. worth of pearls. The island of Timor has pearl-banks, but the yield is trifling.