PEARLS AND PEARL FISHERIES. 51 



(7) Ostrea edulis. — The Common Oyster. 



(8) Modiola vulgaris. — The Horse Mussel. 



(9) Turbinella scolymus. — The Chank-shell ; pale-red pearls. 



(10) Turbo olearius marmoratus. 



(11) Turbo sarmaticus. 



(12) Haliotis (different varieties). — Found in the North Sea, New Zealand, 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and Japan. 



(13) Anodouta herculea. 



(14) Alamodon, Unio, Sc. — Found in Scotland, Ireland, Lapland, 

 Bohemia, Bavaria, Saxony, aud Canada. 



The sea-pearl fisheries are principally confined to the Persian 

 Gulf, the coasts of Cej'lon, the Eastern Archipelago, Australia, 

 the lagoons of many islands in the Pacific, and to Central 

 America. 



Fresh-water pearls have, as a rule, but little lustre, and are 

 consequently of no great value ; although one occasionally finds 

 pearls having a value of from 50 to 70 crowns (13 - 40 to 18'76 dols.), 

 and sometimes, 1800 crowns (48240 dols.). For awhile the 

 Scotch pearls enjoyed a great reputation. From 1761 to 1764 

 more than 180,000 crowns' (48,240 dols.) worth of pearls are said 

 to have been brought to London from the rivers Tay and Isla. 

 During the dry summer of 1862 a surprising quantity of pearls 

 was found in Scotland. The average value of these pearls varied 

 between 40 and 45 crowns (10-72 to 12*06 dols.), but those valued 

 at 100 crowns (26"80 dols.) were also quite frequent. Statisticians 

 estimate that the total value of pearls found in Scotland in 1865 

 was 216,000 crowns (57,888 dols.). Since that time pearls have 

 advanced considerably in value. 



During the summer months the Arabs carry on a sort of pearl 

 fishery on the coast of the Red Sea. They catch the mollusks 

 and lay them in the sun, so that they may open quickly. Jedda 

 is the principal place where these fisheries are carried on. The 

 exportation of mother-of-pearl from Jedda via Alexandria annually 

 amounts to 1,200,000 pounds avoirdpois, half of which quantity 

 goes to Birmingham. 



The pearl fisheries in the Persian Gulf, especially on the 

 coasts of the Island of Bahrein, are also in the hands of the 

 Arabs. The best beds are said to be on fine white sand and in 

 clear water. Nearly 5000 boats are employed in these fisheries, 

 and their annual value is estimated at 1,080,000 crowns (289,440 



