ECHINODERMATA. 295 



tion of, and transport of these animals to market, plays an important 

 part in the commerce and industry of the East. One rather large 

 species, the Holothuria tubulosa, in which, by-the-bye, a singular 

 parasite fish (Fierasfer fontanesii) lives, is common in the Medi- 

 terranean. This species is eatable, and much relished at Naples. In 

 the Ladrone Islands Holothuria guamensis is preferred. But nowhere 

 is it esteemed of such importance as in the Malayan and Chinese 

 seas. In these countries, and on most of the shores of the Indian 

 Ocean, the Holothuria edulis, vulgarly called Trepang, is eaten with 

 delight. Thousands of junks are annually equipped for the Trepang 

 fisheries. The Malay fishermen carry to this fishery a degree of 

 patience and dexterity truly remarkable. Lying down in the fore 

 part of their vessels, and holding in their hands a long bamboo, 

 terminating in a sharp hook, their eyes, accustomed to this fishing, 

 frequently discover the animal at a distance of not less than thirty 

 yards, as it creeps along the surface of the submarine rocks or corals. 

 The fisher darts his harpoon at this distance, and seldom misses his 

 prey. When the water is shallow, that is to say, not more than four 

 or five fathoms deep, divers are sent down to obtain these culinary 

 monsters, who seize them in their hands, and in this manner can take 

 five or six at a time. To prepare the fish and preserve them for 

 transport to the markets, the Malay and Chinese fishermen boil them 

 in water, and flatten them with stones. They are then spread out 

 on bamboo mats to dry ; first in the sun, and then by smoking them. 

 Thus prepared, they are enclosed in sacks, and shipped to the Chinese 

 ports, where they are particularly esteemed. This fishery takes place 

 in the months of April and May. 



In his voyage to the South Pole, Captain Dumont d'Urville, in tra- 

 versing the Chinese seas, had an opportunity of assisting at this fishery, 

 which he has described very graphically. We quote the passage in 

 which the French navigator relates what he witnessed at this curious 

 scene. While the ships were lying quietly at anchor, " we saw," he 

 says, " entering the bay, four Malay proas, bearing Dutch colours, 

 which dropped their anchors about a cable's length from Observatory 

 Islet. The padrones or captains of these vessels soon presented their 

 salutations, and informed me that they had started from Macassar at 

 the end of October, with the western monsoon, and that they came to 

 fish for Holothuria (trepang) along the coasts of New Holland, from 



