hauled slowly in to the shore, when a great variety, many 

 of brilliant and variegated colours, is usually secured. It 

 forms an important article of food, but none are exported, 

 with the exception of turtle {Ckelonia My das) and the 

 hawksbill {Chelonia imbricaia), yielding the tortoiseshell 



of commerce. 



The bait used in line-fishing is usually the conch. The 

 fish are drummed up by striking two shells of the conch 

 together, and are ground-baited as in English rivers. 

 During the boisterous north-west winds, prevailing be- 

 tween November and February, they are difficult to catch, 

 and are brought alive in the wells of the boats, and thus 

 sold in the market-place. 



The estimated value of fish used in home consumption 

 is ;^ 1 8,000 per annum, and of turtle exported, /;6oo per 



annum. 



King, queen, and common conch-shells are exported in 

 large quantities, being used for cameos, and in the latter is 

 found the beautiful pale pink pearl now becoming so valued. 

 The value of shells exported is £1,200 per annum, and of 

 pearls ;^ 3,000 per annum. 



Ambergris is also found on these shores, and sea-cucum- 

 ber (trepang). The value of ambergris exported is i; 1,000 



per annum. 



Corals and small shells, which are very beautiful, are 

 largely collected, and find a ready sale among the American 

 visitors, and in England. 



The value of the sponge exports for 1883 is estimated 

 at ;^ 60,000. In 1882 it was ^59.033- The sponge trade 

 gives employment to several thousands of persons and 

 some hundreds of vessels, the sponges being divided into 

 coarse and fine. The principal varieties, in the order of 

 their value, are known as sheep-wool, white reef, abaco 



