804 MESSRS. MELA^ILL AND SXANDEN ON [Nov. 13, 



Islands, ami ofl' the Oman coast between Ras-el-Khaima and 

 Ghobat Ghazira. They are sought at vaiying depths, from a little 

 below the surface to 18 fathoms of water, on hard mud and s ludy 

 bottom. There is no information as regards the quantity annually 

 •exported, but it may be stated that it is small, and probably about 

 120 to 150 tons. The shells biought up weigh from i lb. to 2 lbs. 

 each, and are sold from Ad. to 8d. per lb. according to quality and 

 the supply and demand. Pearls are very seldom found in these 

 shells, but when they do occur they are generally large and of a 

 fine quality. 



2Iussel- Shells. — The banks off the coast between Ras-el-Khaima 

 and Ghobat Ghazira produce the most and largest mussel-sliells 

 in the Gulf. The best qualities, however, obtain round the islands 

 of Hinderabi, Shaikh Shuaib, and Kais. The mussel is plentiful 

 also round Drijina and Arzana Islands. They are procured at the 

 same depths as the Mother-o'-Pearl shells, and on similar bottoms. 

 The annual export of this description of shell is about 400 to 

 500 tons. They weigh from 5 to 20 lbs. per hundred, and are 

 generally disposed of at Linjah and Dalma Island. Those brought 

 to Bahrein are sold from lO.s. to 15s. per 60 lbs. Pearls are but 

 rarely obtained in this shell. 



P earl-Oyster. — The richest Pearl-Oyster banks are situated 

 round the northern and eastern coasts of the Bahi-ein Islands. 

 The next in impoi'tance ai-e those off the Katar coast, and there 

 are also numerous other l^anks between Koweit and Bahrein, and 

 south of Katar to Ras-el-Khaima. A few unimportant banks also 

 exist along the Persian coast. The best quality of pearl-oyster 

 shells are secured from the banks immediately north of Bahrein 

 known as the " Adan," and are sold by the rice or coffee bag, 

 according to agreement, which on the average hold 140 lbs. 

 and 175 lbs. respectively, of uncleaned shells. The " Adan " shells 

 weigh from 4 lbs. to 7| lbs. per 100, and fetch in Bahrein from 

 2s. to 4s. per bag of 140 lbs. Those from other banks weigh 

 from 3 to 5;^ lbs. per 100, and are sold locallyfrom Is. 8d. to 3s. 6fZ., 

 according to the state of the London market. They ai-e procured 

 at the same depths as the other shells, on coral-rock and hard mud 

 bottoms. It is estimated that about 2000 tons of oyster-shells 

 ai-e shipped annually to Loudon and elsewhere. The Pei'sian Gulf 

 pearl-oyster shells are known under the name of '' Linga shells " 

 in the London market, owing to the first shipments from the Gulf 

 having been made from the port of Linga (Linjah). They are 

 scraped and sorted, the smallest sizes being thrown out before 

 shipment, and on the average lose about 35 per cent, of the 

 original weight in the process. 



No reliable statement can be made as regards the average 

 number of pearls found in a given quantity of shells, as no statistics 

 •on the subject are available. According to the Trade repoi-ts 

 the value of pearls exported is about twenty times greater than 

 that of the shell. This comparison is, however, unreliable owing 

 ,to the fact that the greater portion of the oyster-shells are thrown 



