624 



HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



In Los Angeles County the white men control two-thirds of the trade, deriving their stock 

 mainly from Sauta Catalina, San Cleinente, and adjacent islands. 



Ventura ships very little, and what conies from her coast is mainly in Santa Barbara 

 boats. 



In Sauta Barbara County, however, more is done, a schooner called the Surprise being con- 

 stantly employed in taking Chiuese colonies to the various islands, and receiving the shells to 

 pay for the transportation, while the Chinamen retain the flesh for their own profit. Various 

 Californians also work at it. irregularly, and there are a few Chinese permanently located along 

 the coast near Point Concepcion and Point Arguello. 



The entire sea-front of San Luis Obispo County is bordered by detached rocks, and is there- 

 fore very favorable to the growth of Haliotides. San Simeon, Cayucos, and Port Harford are 

 the principal points of shipment, and thence the abalone fisheimen, principally Chinese, send 

 their catch to market. 



Monterey County contributes a small quota, and there is also a colony of Chinese on Santa 

 Cruz, and another on Santa Rosa Island collecting abalones ; but the exact account of what they 

 do was not ascertained; their probable product is included in the following estimate table under 

 the head of San Francisco : 



Summary table of the abalone fiiliery in 1879. 



* Those credited to San Francisco are taken iu the neighborhood and the off-shore islands, by Chiuese. 



Concerning the habits of the Haliotides little need be said. They dwell upon weed-grown 

 rocks not far from the low-water line and feed upon the sea vegetables. Their foot is " very large, 

 rounded at the ends and fringed with thread like tentacuhe, which, when the animal is protruded 

 from the shell below the surface of the water, are gently swayed with a somewhat vibratory 

 motion." They move very little and with great slowness. The broad muscular foot is adapted 

 less to locomotion than for adhesion, and so strong is the force with which they cling to the rock, 

 withdrawing their protracted lobes and squatting flat down at the least disturbance, that it often 

 is exceedingly difficult to detach them, even with the aid of the trowel or spade to slip under them 

 which is usually carried by the fishermen. Another method is to pour over them a small quan- 

 tity of warm water, and then give them a sharp push with the foot sideways. 



There is a grisly story of a poor Chinamen, who discovered a large abalone left bare by the 

 tide and partly exposing his mantle-lobes. The man had no spade with him, but attempted to 

 tear the mollusk up with his fingers. No sooner did the abaloue feel his touch, however, than it 

 shutdown, pinching the Chinaman's fingers between its shell and the rock so tightly that he could 

 not pull them away before the tide, rising with cruel speed, had drowned him in this creature's 

 clutch. Whether or not this be an "ower true tale," it illustrates the strength with which the mol- 



