596 APPENDIX 



also in Trincomalee, on the east coast of Ceylon, and at other places, all, compared with the 

 Gulf of Manar, unimportant. No part of a district is fished oftener than once in six or 

 seven years, this arrangement giving the fishing-grounds ample time to become repopulated, 

 by the development of young individuals. If an oyster-bank is allowed to remain much longer 

 than seven years many dead individuals are found in it, so that this period appears to be 

 the normal limit of their life. 



The pearl-oyster banks in the Persian Gulf are also of great importance, and have 

 been known and fished since ancient times. They are situated chiefly on the Arabian side, 

 and are wholly controlled by the Arabs, who do not brook any interference with their rights. 

 The methods they employ are exactly the same as those adopted in Ceylon. Very pi-oductive 

 banks are situated in the neighbourhood of the Bahrein islands on the Arabian coast (about 

 26° North latitude), and further south, skirting the Pirate coast for a length of seventy 

 geographical miles. At both places the banks lie at a depth of about 40 feet. Oysters, 

 from which beautiful pearls are obtained, are found also at a gi-eater depth off the Persian 

 coast opposite, one such place being situated between the islands Kharak and Gorgo, 

 north-west of Bushire. The pearl-oysters of the Persian Gulf are double the size of those 

 of Ceylon, thicker and also smoother on the outside. The pearls found in this region have 

 a yellowish colour as compared with the pure white of Indian pearls, but in other respects 

 they are in no way inferior. 



Pearl-oyster banks appear to be scattered over the whole of the Ked Sea, except the 

 most southerly part, and at several places flourishing fisheries have been established. One 

 such is situated near the island of Dahalak, not far from Massaua, and another near the 

 Farsan islands, which lie just opposite, off^ the Arabian coast. Pearls of an inferior quality 

 ai-e obtained also from the sea near Jedda, west of Mecca, in Arabia. The pearl-oysters of 

 the Red Sea yield a large quantity of excellent mother-of-pearl. 



Every part of the Indian Ocean yields pearl-oysters, but the fisheries have not the 

 importance of those already mentioned. Pearls of small size and inferior quality are 

 obtained from the Gulf of Cutch, on the north coast of the Kathiawar peninsula, and from 

 the sea near Kurrachee, on the western mouth of the Indus ; while pearls of rather better 

 quality come from the coasts of the Mergui Archipelago, off' the coast of Lower Burma. 

 The Sulu Islands have been mentioned above ; from them and from the neighbouring 

 Tawi-Tawi Islands pearls equal to Indian are obtained. The pearl-oysters of this region 

 are, however, more valuable as a source of mother-of-pearl. The shells are very large, 

 averaging f pound in weight, and the largest weigh as much as 2 pounds. They are 

 remarkable not only for their size but also for the purity and lustre of the mother-of-pearl 

 layer. In reference to the fact that many of these shells reach the market through 

 Macassar, they are known as Macassar shells. Pearls are also obtained from oysters found 

 off" the coasts of New Guinea and the neighbouring island groups, especially the Aru 

 Islands. 



The pearl and mother-of-pearl fisheries of the north-west coast of Western 

 Australia have constituted for the last quarter of a century one of the most valuable 

 assets of the Colony. The value of the pearls exported in 1896 was estimated at ^£"20,000 

 and that of pearl-shell at i?30,000. Two definite varieties of the pearl-oyster are found off" 

 these coasts : the larger inhabits the north-west coast as far as Exmouth Gulf, in latitude 

 22° S. ; while the smaller is confined to Sharks Bay, in latitude 25° S. The largest and 

 finest pearls are yielded by the larger variety ; those obtained from the smaller shells are 

 perfect in form and lustre, but are of a bright golden- or straw-yellow colour, and find a 

 readier sale in India and China than in Europe. The smaller variety is, or was formerly. 



