Tortoiseshell and the Turtle Fisheries. 363 



49,332 ;f32,S03 



The average prices in 1870 were from 13J. to 14J. 6d. 

 per pound, except Indian tortoiseshell, which was only 

 worth Js. <)d. per pound. 



Tortoiseshell remained low in price for some years, as 

 it is greatly dependent for its chief use, that of ladies' 

 combs, on the fashion of the day in wearing the hair. A 

 quarter of a century ago it often fetched £1 2>s. the pound ; 

 in recent years the average wholesale price has not been 

 more than from 12s. to 15^., but of late there has been an 

 increased demand, and a gradual upward tendency in 

 prices is manifested. At one of the London monthly 

 pubUc sales, good dark-mottled shell on a light ground, 

 free from scab, and thin red shell or dull colours, from 

 Zanzibar, Bombay, and Singapore, fetched wholesale* 28j- 

 to 29J. 6d. per pound. Of West Indian tortoiseshell, 

 4000 to 5cxx)lbs. were readily sold at from 31J. to 41J. per 

 pound for fair to good quality " hoof ; " ordinary and 

 medium, from 25^. 6d. to 32J. ; and even inferior as high 

 as I IS, to 22s. per pound. 



As much as 5000 and 6000 lbs. of tortoiseshell were 

 exported from Mauritius 10 years ago, but lately the 

 shipments have dropped down to about 1000 lbs. 



