WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 



The pearl fisheries off the 

 coast of West Australia, and 

 expecially at Shark Bay, pro- 

 duce the true pearl oyster, the 

 Avicula margaratifera. For 

 a long time this shell was 

 supposed to be valueless, on 

 account of its thin and fragile 

 structure ; but now there is a 

 great demand for it, both in 

 Europe and America. It is 

 especially prized by French 

 and German artists for fine 

 inlaid cabinet work. During 

 the year 1883, 619 tons of 

 pearl shell were exported from 

 Western Australia, valued at 

 $4000, and the value of the 

 pearls exported during the 

 same period was $20,500. 

 Several of these pearls were 

 of extraordinary size and 

 beauty, one weighing 234 

 grains. A mass of pearls in 

 the form of a perfect cross was 

 found at Nickol Bay, West 

 Australia, in the early part of 

 last year, each pearl being 

 about the size of a large pea, 

 and perfect in form and colour. 



The oysters in the West 

 Australian fisheries are gene- 

 rally removed by passing an 

 iron-wire dredge over the banks, 

 but divers are also employed, 

 the diving being carried on from 

 the end of September to the end 

 of March. Pearl oysters are 

 gregarious in their habits, and 

 whenever one is met with it is 

 almost certain that vast num- 

 bers of others will be found in 

 the immediate neighbourhood. 



