282 ^_ Italy. 



its flesh (eaten cooked), its byssus (from which a singular kind of silk is woven), and the rose 

 coloured pearls it sometimes contains. It is taken by diving, or, more ingeniously with a 

 stone fastened to a string carefully let down into the open valves, which close tenaciously, 

 and the animal is drawn up. 9. Coral Fishery. This is beyond doubt one of the most inte- 

 resting and peculiar fisheries in the Mediterranean, and deserves a less passing notice than 

 that which I am obliged to give. The coral-fishermen form a peculiar class, and in Italy hail 

 from S. Margherita (Liguria), Leghorn, Carloforte, and Alghero (Sardinia), Torre del Greco, 

 Trapani, and Messina ; their boats (corallini) are also peculiar and of two sorts : the larger from 

 10 to 14 tons burden, the smaller from 2 to 6 ; they are decked and have a mast, lateen sail 

 and jib ; a peculiar feature is the large wooden windlass amidship, for hauling up the dredge, 

 called ingegno: a St. Andrew's cross about 2 metres in length, weighted with stone or iron, 

 and garnished with about 30 tangles made of rough netting and cordage ; other not less 

 primitive implements are used for disentangling the dredge, should the occasion occur. The 

 larger boats are mounted by a master, an assistant, a steersman, and 8 hands ; the smaller ones 

 by 5 or 6 men. The coral grows in suitable localities in most parts of the Mediterranean, 

 Ionian Sea, and South Adriatic ; it requires a rocky bottom, and affects especially banks covered 

 with madrepora and shells at depths varying from 50 to 200 metres, rarely more. The coral- 

 patches or banks are mostly as well known to the corallari as are the islands which rise above 

 the sea ; the best localities are now off the coasts of Sardinia and in the shallow sea between 

 Sicily and Pantellaria, but no doubt undiscovered coral-banks are yet to be found, though 

 probably not many. During voyages in the Mediterranean corallini are often seen at work : 

 in Bonifacio Straits, near Castelsardo, off the W. and E. coasts of Sardinia, but especially 

 between Sciacca and Pantellaria. There, on the extreme edge of the " Adventure Bank," 

 not far from Ferdinandea or Graham's Island, much coral has been got in the last few years, 

 principally off three patches, but mostly dead and blackened, not unlikely killed by the vol- 

 canic eruption which caused the above-mentioned island to rise and then disappear in 1831. 

 Many hopes had been raised by the discovery of the Sciacca coral-banks in 1875, 1878 and 

 1880, and as much coral, though of a very inferior quality, had been got from them, the 

 Government was induced to have them explored. This was partially done at the end of 

 August, 1881, by Professor Ricchiardi. The writer of this was present with him on board the 

 man-of-war steamer Washington, and will not easily forget the animated sight of over 300 

 corallini at work, amidst which we steamed on the 30th of August. In 1882 the exploration 

 of those banks was completed, again by the Washington, with Professor Canestrini on board ; 

 the results were to show that the dead coral on those banks has been nearly all fished up. 

 Professor Parona has been, recently, by Government order, investigating the conditions of the 

 coral-banks of the Sardinian coasts ; his report on the subject is now in the press. Precious 

 coral was sought for off the coasts of Northern Africa by the Pisans as far back as the tenth 

 century ; its discovery off Sardinia dates from the sixteenth century ; off Calabria from the 

 seventeenth century. The produce of this fishery appears to be on the decline. In 1871 only 

 359 corallini boats were registered from Italian ports, Torre del Greco alone sending 307. 

 The men engaged in this fishery numbered 3623, and the mean annual produce was calculated 

 at about 60,000 kilogrammes of good living coral, of the approximative value of five millions 

 of lire (francs). The produce of the coral fishery on the Sciacca banks from March to October, 

 1882, as given by official returns, was 19,120 quintali, valued at 4,493,200 lire; 582 boats 

 and 5766 men were employed. The banks discovered in 1875 and 1878 are quite exhausted ; 

 that found in 1880 is expected to yield from 20 to 25 quintali per boat during the present 

 season, 1883. It must be remembered, however, that this is all or nearly all dead coral of low 

 price. The coral-fishery is usually undertaken from March to October, but in some parts, 

 weather permitting, it takes place at all seasons. 10. Sponge Fishery. This industry is prin- 

 cipally in the hands of Adriatic fishermen, and undertaken amongst the rocky islands off Istria 

 and the Dalmatian coasts ; a certain number of Sicilian fishermen are, however, employed 

 in this fishery off the Tunisian coast near Sfax. The species sought are: Spongia mollis- 

 sima, the most valuable, S. adriatica (?), S. zimoca, 8. equina ; the methods employed are two 

 diving and trawling. 



IV. LAGOON AND ESTUARY FISHERIES. These fisheries, which in all respects form a 

 connecting link and occupy an intermediate position between saltwater and freshwater 



