SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 229 



and not alarm. In coming to this conclusion not only the fishes 

 captured for commerce, but the floating eggs in their season, 

 and the minute young fishes, of which no ordinary fisherman 

 has any knowledge, have been duly considered. 



Just as in the case of the food-fishes, the antiquity of the 

 coral fishery^ the comparative freedom in regard to working, 

 and the exhaustion of certain banks, have led to suggestions for 

 restriction. Thus it has been proposed to make a close season 

 during the development of the eggs, but as this period stretches 

 from April to September and even later, the very season when 

 the fishery can best be carried on, the suggestion is impracticable. 

 The proposal of Prof Lacaze Duthiers to divide the Algerian 

 waters into five areas, each of which should be fished in 

 succession, is noteworthy, though by no means easy to carry out. 

 Such proposals in regard to the red coral of commerce have 

 certainly this to be said in their favour, viz. that the corals are 

 fixed throughout life with the exception of the brief pelagic 

 larval existence. If any form, therefore, would be benefited by 

 the closure of areas, it would be this species, which holds so 

 prominent a place amongst the products of the sea captured by 

 man for gain. Yet, it may be asked, where has this been 

 efficiently and systematically carried out with a corresponding 

 and notable result to the coral fishery ? 



Suppose, for the sake of argument, that a new kind of 

 fisherman appeared, who, by means of an ingenious instrument, 

 captured the lob- worm in greater numbers and more quickly in 

 the same area, so that it took much harder work for the older 

 fishermen to secure a supply ; indeed one of the new fishermen 

 obtained as many in a given time as four of the old. Legislation 

 might, in the same manner as in the case of the trawl, be asked 

 to step in and close the tidal margin against the new fishermen, 

 who would require to pursue their calling by apparatus working 

 under water. Is it to be supposed that, even in this sedentary 

 and comparatively local species, such methods of fishing — the 

 old and the new — would extirpate the lob- worm ? It might be 

 more difficult to secure a supply, but those acquainted with the 

 economy of the species, its development, and distribution, would 



1 See Apparatus for Coral-fishing in the Mediterranean on the rear book-cover. 



