PRECIOUS CORAL 123 



actively exploited only for the past fifty years, 

 although they were well known even in the Middle 

 Ages. An important fishery also exists along the 

 coasts of Sardinia and Corsica. Ustica and Lipari, 

 small islands north of Sicily, also yield some coral. 



Japanese coral is produced chiefly in the south- 

 western waters affected by the warm ocean current. 

 The Formosa industry is of recent origin and now 

 produces large quantities of excellent coral. 



Coral growing in shallow water near the shores 

 is often collected by divers working from small boats, 

 but the largest and most beautiful coral grows in 

 water so deep that it is inaccessible even to divers 

 working in diving-suits. This coral is taken by dredg- 

 ing with curious devices. The dredge boats operating 

 in the Mediterranean are of two sizes; the larger 

 ones are Italian vessels, sailing from Messina, Genoa, 

 Leghorn, and Naples, and range from six to sixteen 

 tons in capacity. They carry a large lateen sail, a 

 jib, and a staysail, and are manned by six to twelve 

 persons, who have eighteen hours' hard work daily 

 for little pay. The smaller boats, which are of only 

 three to six tons in capacity, fly the French flag, al- 

 though their crews are usually Italian. The larger 

 vessels operate only during good weather, the season 

 being from March to October ; and usually they are 

 able to take seven or eight hundred pounds of mar- 

 ketable coral during this period. The smaller vessels 

 often fish the year round and are thereby able to col- 

 lect four or five hundred pounds of precious coral. 



The dredge used in the coral fishery is much differ- 

 ent from that employed in taking oysters and 



