1 8 LIVING CREATURES. 



3 JEWEL-MAKERS AND ISLAND BUILDERS. 



FIFTY years ago, a pretty ornament in the dress of 

 a young 'lady was a necklace made of red coral. 

 From the same material cameos were cut, and ear-rings 

 and brooches were made. These jewels were, at one 

 time, expensive. The finest rose-tinted coral was val- 

 ued at six hundred dollars an ounce. And in those 

 days, when coral ornaments were so popular, there 

 were at Algeria alone, engaged in coral fisheries, more 

 than three thousand men. 



Sprig of Tree- coral Enlarged. 



Now something very strange has happened, and 

 coral jewelry is worth scarcely any thing. Men have 

 invented to take its place something which is a per- 

 fect imitation of both ivory and coral. They call it 

 celluloid. It is made of cotton melted with chemicals 

 and pressed into bars or thin sheets, and often colored 

 with attractive tints. Of it are formed useful articles, 

 such as knife handles and eye-glass frames, and various 

 other things used for ornament. This new cotton 

 jewelry has destroyed the old-time precious value of 

 .coral. 



For a long time even learned men believed coral to 

 be a plant. After closer examination they concluded 



