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and as much coral, though of a very inferior quality, had been got 

 from them, the Government was induced to have them explored. 

 This was partially done at the end of August, 1881, by Prof. Ric- 

 chiardi. The writer of this was present with him on board the 

 man-of-war steamer Washington, and will not easily forget the 

 animated sight of over 300 corallini at work, amidst which we 

 steamed on the 30th of August. In 1882 the exploration of those 

 banks was completed, again by the Washington, with Professor 

 Canestrini on board; the results were to show that the dead coral 

 on those banks has been nearly all fished up. Professor Parona 

 has been recently, by Government order, investigating the con- 

 ditions of the coral-banks of the Sardinian coasts; his report on the 

 subject is now in the press. Precious coral was sought for off 

 the coasts of Northern Africa by the Pisans as far back as the 

 tenth century; its discovery off Sardinia dates from the sixteenth 

 century; off Calabria from the seventeenth century. The produce 

 of this fishery appears to be on the decline. In 1871 only 359 

 corallini boats were registered from Italian ports, Torre del Greco 

 alone sending 307. The men engaged in this fishery numbered 

 3623, and the mean annual produce was calculated at about 

 60,000 kilogrammes of good living coral, of the approximative 

 value of five millions of lire (francs). The produce of the coral 

 fishery on the Sciacca banks from March to October, 1882, as 

 given by official returns, was 19,120 quintal», valued at 4,493,200 

 lire; 582 boats and 5766 men were employed. The banks disco- 

 vered in 1875 and 1878 are quite exhausted; that found in 1880 

 is expected to yield from 20 to 25 quintali per boat during the 

 present season, 1883. It must be remembered, however, that 

 this is all or nearly all dead coral of low price. The coral-fishery 

 is usually undertaken from March to October, but in some parts, 

 weather permitting, it takes place at all seasons. 10. Sponge 

 Fishery. -- This industry is principally in the hands of Adriatic 

 fishermen, and undertaken amongst the rocky istands off Istria 

 and the Dalmatian coasts; a certain number of Sicilian fishermen 

 are, however, employed in this fishery off the Tunisian coast 

 near Sfax. The species sought are: Spongi a moltissima, the most 

 valuable, S. adriatica (?) S. zimocn, S. equina; the methods em- 

 ployed are two-diving and trawling. 



