The Bed Coral. 



the extremity, there is a small open net. The machine 

 is suspended by a rope, and dragged along those rocks 

 where the Coral is most abundant ; and such as is broken 

 off either becomes entangled iu the hemp, or falls into 

 the nets. 



Coral is bought by weight, and its \alne increases 

 according to its size. Beads of large size are worth 

 about forty shillings an ounce, whilst small ones do 

 not sell for more than four shillings. Large pieces 

 of Coral are sometimes cut into balls, and exported to 

 China, to be worn as insignia in the caps of officers of 

 state. These, if perfectly sound and of good colour, and 

 upwards of an inch in diameter, have been known to pro- 

 duce in that market, as much as three to four hundred 

 pounds sterling each. There are extant many beautiful 

 pieces of sculpture in coral, as this substance has in all 

 ages been considered an admirable material on which to 

 exhibit the artist's taste and skill. Probably the finest 

 specimen of sculptured Coral yet known is a chess-board 

 and men in the palace of the Tuileries. 



The Chinese have, within the last few years, succeeded 

 in cutting coral beads of much smaller dimension than 

 has hitherto been effected by any European artist. These, 

 which are not larger than small pins' heads, are called 

 Seed Coral, and are now imported from China into this 

 country, in very considerable quantity for necklaces. 

 There are modes by which Coral may be so exactly 

 imitated, that without a close inspection, it is sometimes 

 impossible to detect the counterfeit. 



