226 UTILIZATION OP MINUTE LIFE. 



The price, however, is exceedingly variable, ac- 

 cording 1 to quality, other portions of the same mass 

 selling for less than a shilling a pound. 



Coral fishery takes place during the three hottest 

 months of the year ; the only instrument that the 

 fishers employ is the salabre, a kind of dredge, 

 consisting of two strong sticks crossed one over the 

 other. To the centre of the cross is a long rope, 

 and underneath it a bullet or stone. At the four 

 extremities of the sticks, which are covered with 

 tow (hemp), is a net shaped like a purse (Fig. 27). 



FIG. 27. Coral Net. 

 a a. Beams of wood, 15 feet long, covered with tow. b b. Coarse nets. 



This instrument is dragged over the rocks from 

 which the coral springs, and the latter broken off 

 by the dredge, its branches become entangled in 

 the tow, and are secured by the net. But by this 



