VII] PEARL FISHERIES OF OTHER LANDS 89 



beds are constantly being discovered. Both the 

 methods of naked diving and diving with dress 

 are employed. Another very extensive fishery is 

 to be found on the coast of Venezuela. This also 

 dates back before the time of Columbus. TJie 

 most famous banks are on the sides of the island 

 of Margarita which has thus received its name. 

 About 400 sailing boats of from three to fifteen tons 

 are employed (according to Cattelle), and in 1906 

 practically 2000 men were engaged in the fishing. 

 The Government of Venezuela has given rights and 

 concessions to individuals in return for which it is to 

 receive 15 per cent, of the net profits. The species 

 of pearl oyster fished is Margaritifera squamulosa, 

 and it resembles the Ceylon pearl oyster. The shell 

 is very thin and the mother-of-pearl obtained in 

 these fisheries is worth only a fraction of the value 

 of the pearls. 



We have not exhausted by any means the pearl 

 fisheries of the world, amongst which may be men- 

 tioned, also, the Pacific island fisheries, the fisheries 

 of California, the African coasts and the Mediter- 

 ranean. We shall conclude by a reference to the 

 fresh-water pearl fisheries which are of importance, 

 in the rivers of Europe and America. 



The fresh-water pearl mussel of Europe is Mar- 

 garitana margaritifera. It has been fished in Great 

 Britain from the time of the Romans, and in the 



