196 THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. 
name of Meleagrina margaritifera. This variety is obtained chiefly on account of 
the valuable nature of its shell, its substance representing the finest texture of 
Mother-of-Pearl, out of which knife handles, the largest descriptions of pearl buttons, 
and all other pearl articles of the best quality are manufactured. Although pearls 
of the most valuable description are also obtained from this shell, their acquisition 
is held to be of practically secondary import, while, through the inability of the 
boat-owners, in the majority of instances, to exert a strict control over the opening and 
cleaning of the shells, it is admitted that a very large percentage of the pearls obtained 
are surreptitiously disposed of. Notwithstanding this undesirable filtration, it has been 
estimated that the value of the pearls obtained ranges from about one-tenth to one- 
sixth of that of the shells, and as this in Queensland alone commonly averages 
£100,000, the item of pearls is by no means insignificant. 
In Western Australia the large tropical Mother-of-Pearl shell is more or less 
abundant throughout the coast-line northwards of Exmouth Gulf. The main portion 
of the pearling operations is, however, carried out between there and King’s Sound. 
North and east of this, as far as Cambridge Gulf, large areas of shell-producing 
grounds exist, but owing to the as yet unsettled condition of the adjacent mainland 
and the hostility of the natives towards boats’ crews landing for wood and water, 
this section of the coast-line has so far remained almost undeveloped. Judging 
from the much indented reef and island-bestrewn character of this coast-line, and 
the observations made and impressions formed by several voyages between King’s 
Sound and Cambridge Gulf, the writer is of the opinion that this section of the 
coast will in future years prove to be the most prolific of the Western Australian 
Pearl - shelling grounds. With it will probably be also associated Béche-de-Mer 
fisheries, approximating in character and value to those of Torres Straits and the 
Great Barrier. 
At the present time the fishery for Béche-de-Mer on the Western Australian 
sea-board is scarcely worthy of notice, being limited to the takings of a few isolated 
fishermen, chiefly Chinamen, who. ply their avocation in the neighbourhoods of King’s 
Sound and Dampier’s Archipelago. With the latter exception there are very few 
favourable reefs south of King’s Sound of sufficient extent to yield a profitable fishery, 
while, as ascertained by the writer, the qualities produced are inferior to the Queens- 
land types. As chronicled, however, in the preceding Chapter, the majority of the 
most esteemed Torres Straits and Great Barrier Reef species were discovered by the 
writer in Houtman’s Abrolhos Islands, and though these do not appear to occur on 
