THE ABALONE FISHERY. 623 



" The people of Guernsey and Jersey " says Siminonds, " ornament their houses with the 

 shells of the ormer, disposing them frequently in quincunx order, and placing them so that their 

 bright interior may catch the rays of the sun. Some of the large and splendid iutertropical 

 species, which, after removing the outer layer, take a polish almost equaling* the natural brilliancy 

 of the interior, might be converted into dishes for holding fruit. If mounted with good taste, their 

 indescribable iridescence and prismatic colors would materially add to the richness of an elegant 

 table." 



On the Pacific coast of the United States, especially in Southern California, the gathering 

 of Haliotis shells, or abalones, affords employment to a large number of persons, and a consider- 

 able commerce has sprung up, which is chiefly in the hands of the Chinese. 



That this should be so is very natural. At home the Chinese were, and are yet, accustomed to 

 dry the flesh of their own Haliotis. Finding in California the same luxury, they at once began to 

 gather the abalones for the sake of the meat, which they dried and salted and sent home to China 

 at a good profit. After a time white men began to gather up the shells thrown away and work them 

 into polished mantle ornaments and articles of jewelry. Thus apprised of their value, the China- 

 men also saved all the shells they got, and soon found this half of the catch brought more money 

 than the flesh. For three or four years past the business in these shells has been very extensive; 

 but fears are felt for its future, since the inollusks are being rapidly exterminated along the whole 

 coast. 



The species which enter into this western industry are said to be four : 

 Haliotis cracherodii. 



San Francisco to Lower California. 

 Haliotis splendens. 



San Diego and adjacent islands. 

 Haliotis corrugata. 



Santa Barbara to San Diego and Catalina Island. 

 Haliotis rufescens. 



Mendociuo County southerly to Saint Nicholas Island. 



The first named of these is the ordinary abalone of commerce; the last is northern and 

 rarely seen, but was the one most employed by the Indians for making uhllo money and orna- 

 mental disks. 



Late information and partial statistics of the abalone fishery are furnished by the investiga- 

 tions of Messrs. David 8. Jordan and W. N. Lockington of the Census Office, whose figures are 

 for the year 1879. They inform us that the abalone producing region embraces the coast of Cali- 

 fornia from San Francisco to the southern boundary ; also the peninsula of Lower California and 

 the opposite shores of Mexico. Those credited to San Diego County and San Francisco in the 

 appended table are largely derived from Mexican waters. Until lately the Mexican Government 

 paid no attention to the depredations of the abalone fishers on their coasts ; but now a consulate 

 has been established at San Diego, and a license duty of $60 a year is placed upon every boat 

 from the United States going in search of these shell-fish in their waters. 



In respect to San Diego County it appears that "most of the abalones are collected by 

 Chinamen, who have already stripped the coast as far south as Cerros Island. There are eight 

 companies of them now between there and San Diego ; four of these companies belong at San 

 Diego, and combine this labor with 'red-fishing.' During the first week of January, 1880, alone, 

 their sales amounted to 10 tons of shells, worth (then) $450, besides the meat they saved, which 

 is worth 5 cents a pound in San Diego City." 



