224 UTILIZATION OF MINUTE LIFE. 



competent authorities, a nett profit of 250,000 

 sterling per annum.* 



Spallanzani's observations have taught us that 

 coral grows very rapidly, and is quickly reproduced ; 

 so that in a few years' time a locality which has 

 been deprived of its coral by repeated fisheries is 

 again repeopled with this lucrative polype. 



It has also been remarked that a branch of 

 coral, detached from the stem and thrown into the 

 sea, soon fixes itself to the rocks, and grows into a 

 fine specimen; and it has not unfrequently been 

 noticed that different objects which have been 

 thrown into the sea near any clusters of coral, are 

 sure to be covered with these polypes in the course 

 of a few months. 



These important facts seem to indicate the pos- 

 sibility of transporting or transplanting the coral 

 by shoots, as we do with some of our rarer vege- 

 table productions. They teach us, also, that the 

 coral fishers ought to be compelled by law to throw 

 back into the sea the younger branches of whatever 

 coral they take away ; for these young shoots are 

 nearly valueless to them, and would serve to re- 

 plenish in a short time places exhausted of their 

 coral by constant fishing. 



Like other polypes, the coral polype is repro- 



* Compare the "Bulletin de la Societe d'Acclimatation," 

 Paris, 1856. 



