138 ON THE SICILIAN CORAL FISHERY. 



Fcrrantelmpe- Our Feirante Imperato, in his work on natural history (whicir, 



rato first sup- \i]^q ^p^f-y ^ji^gj. ^^rks of the ancients, has been almost buried 

 posed It to be . 



the habitation '" oblivion, though well deserving our atteniion from its con- 

 of worms. taining the principles .)f many iinportant truths, which have 

 since been brought to light), had already supposed, that some of 

 the species of coral were merely the habitation of marine 

 This opinion worms. This opiiiion had so much of probability, that it has 

 generally always been entertained by naturalists since ; and the discovery 



of the polypi assists to explain on solid principles the true nature 

 and origin of coral: and on this account the works of Peyssonnel, 

 Jussieu, Guetard, Trembley, Reaumur, Donati, Kllis, Pallas, 

 Cavolini, Spallanzani, and many others on coral, became so 

 interesting. Coral is found round nearly all the Mediterranean 

 islands. Pliny and Dioscorides speak much in praise of that 

 found in the Sicilian seas* in their time. It is fished for at pre- 

 sent on every part of the shores of Sicily. 

 Places where The Messineze collect a great quantity in those straits, even 

 the corahscol- gs far as Melazzo ; but the Trapanese, who are chiefly employ- 

 ed in working the coral, not only iish it in the neighbouring 

 seas about the Eolian and other islands, but extend their search 

 to all the Southern shores as far as Cape Passaro, and beyond 

 Siracuse,, and even to the coast of Barbary. They are obliged 

 to occupy so large an extent of sea ; as theysCannot fibh again 

 Reouires eieht *^" ^^''^ same spot for several years, the re-production of coral 

 years for its reqnirifig a great lengih of time, even nearly eight years. I 

 reproduction. , ,/- ,, , - , , r ^-, ■ -i i 



have myself collected it on the shores or Catania, and thence as 



far as Taormina. 

 Instrument "^^^ instrument v/ith which the coral is detached from the 



used to get it. bottom of the sea has been known a long time. It is composed 

 of a large wooden cross, having fastened to each of its four 

 extremities nets sufficiently capacious to enclose the coral, 

 which is broken from its root by a large stone hanging from the 

 centre of the cross. The instrument is let down by two ropes 

 from the boats employed in this fishery into the sea, and after 



* See Dioscorides, lib. 5 ; Plin. lib. 32. Pliny says, Luudatissimum in 

 GitUtco sinu circa SioechndaH insulaa, ct in Siculo cirea Ilelieun, ac DrU' 

 pnnvm. Some commentators, not finding the name of Helia, have call- 

 ed it Aeolias •, but the true name is Helia, for tl:^e island opposite Trapani 

 was anciently so called. Pliny himself names it in his 3c\ book Hieroncsus, 



remaining 



