TJie Persian Gulf and Red Sea Fisheries. 219 



lustre of the Pearl depends on the depth of water 

 in which the oyster lives. The most productive 

 banks are formed of fine light- coloured sand, over- 

 lying coral-rocks. Bahrein alone employs about 

 1,500 boats in this industry. The fishing takes place 

 annually, and is said to yield a profit of about 

 ;^ 400, 000 a year. This agrees with the estimates 

 previously cited by Wellsted. Bombay receives 

 most of the Persian Pearls, and Bagdad offers a 

 market for the rest. As the Pearl shells from the 

 fisheries of the Persian Gulf commonly pass through 

 Bombay, they reach England under the name of 

 " Bombay shells." At the present time (October, 

 1886), the price of Bombay shell varies between 

 22s. 6d. and £^. 5s. per cvvt., according to the 

 quality. 



The Red Sea Fisheries. 



Although in the time of the Ptolemies the Red 

 Sea produced the chief supply of Pearls, this fishery 

 has long since sunk into insignificance, and is now 

 hardly worth working. 



When Wellsted visited the Pearl banks half- 

 a-century ago, he described them even then as 

 furnishing but a scanty supply of Pearls, and these 

 of poor quality. " Probably the most convincing 



