THE CORAL FISHERY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. 375 



there prepared for the|r removal, not only into the whole thickness of 

 the epidermis, but again into a series of parallel tubes that surround 

 the axis. 



" One can seldom form an exact idea of the axis. The polype tree — 

 that is to say the solid framework or skeleton of the zoophyte — forms 

 part of the animal in the same way that this froth-like tissue is the 

 bony framework around which the animalculse are grouped. 



" The ends of the branches of coral are generally the thickest parts. 

 This arises from a considerable number of large polypes, with young 

 ones budding from their bases. The epidermis is relatively more deve- 

 loped than the hard axis which scarcely yet exists. 



" The intestinal coils, which proceed from the walls of the digestive 

 cavity, without re-uniting upon the centre, bear at their base the ovaries, 

 and in the males the seminal capsules. Some polypes may be found 

 wholly males, and some entirely female ; others again are hermaphrodite, 

 but these latter are comparatively few. 



"Fecundation must be accomplished in the digestive sac. The egg 

 remains in the sac where it has been produced, and there undergoes the 

 transformation in the centre of the same place where the digestion of 

 the alimentary matter is accomplished. 



" This egg is of a fine dead white ; it is not at all transparent. It is 

 of a spherical form before fecundation, but afterwards becomes oval, 

 and is covered with that moveable down or fringe which naturalists call 

 vibratile cilia, and which, moving with great rapidity, serves to carry 

 along the body which bears it. 



" When the egg has taken this elongated form, and is invested with 

 organs of locomotion, it becomes an embryo : it is a juvenile that 

 goes moving about at full liberty for a certain time, and then settles 

 down and fixes itself to a rock, to become the founder of a colony of 

 similar individuals, or a branch of coral." 



The necessary outfit for a boat costs about 6,000 francs. The total 

 receipts of the French boats vary annually between the wide margin of 

 13,000 to 34,000 francs, or it may be taken at a mean sum of 22,000 to 

 25,000 francs, being nearly 150 kilogramme of coral per boat, and 400 to 

 500 kilos for the most successful. The value of coral varies considerably. 

 In 1826, when the use of it by ladies had gone out of fashion, it was 

 estimated by the French custom-house authorities at but 2 francs the kilo- 

 gramme in the rough. In 1853, when it had again come somewhat into 

 favour, it was valued at 25 francs the kilogramme. 



The number of boats employed varies each year, but on the average 

 reaches about 200. As there are about 10 men to each boat, we have a 

 total of 2,000 mariners frequenting yearly the Algerian coasts for fishing 

 coral. In 1850 the fishery was carried on by 204 boats, of which 26 

 were French, 3 Sardinian, 121 Neapolitan, 28 Tuscan, and 26 Spanish. 

 According to the Customs returns, these boats obtained nearly. 29,000 



