The Trepang Fishery. 



107 



this sea-slug, only about five have any great commercial 

 importance, which are as follows, with their nominal value 

 in New Caledonia : 



Per kilogramme. 



Per ton. Francs. 



1. Brown, with teats ... .30 



2. Large black ... ... 25 ... 2'O 



3. Small black ... ... 20 ... 1*30 



4. Red bellies ... ... 15 ... I'oo 



5. White ... ... 12 ... 70 



The first quality sells in China often as high as 90 to 

 ;ioo the ton. The prices in the second column per 

 kilogramme are those given in the French Colonial 

 Catologue of the Paris Exhibition, 1878. 



FIG. i. 



Holothuridae species. 



The preparation of the product is very simple. It is 

 boiled in water for about 20 minutes, and then slit up from 

 one end to the other and dried. This process is carried on 

 in a large shed, with three stages of frames disposed over a 

 good fire to smoke and dry them. As the trepang is very 

 hygrometic, it is indispensable that they should be kept dry- 



