BED OB PBECIOUS COB Ah. 21 



The coral trade in Japan seems to have been a comparatively 

 recent development, for nearly all the coral ornaments were for- 

 merly imported from Italy. Mr. Kitahara shows that the export 

 of coral began to increase about 1896, and culminated in 1900, 

 while the imports suddenly decreased from 1899. The greater 

 part of the Japanese coral goes to Italy, and the minor part to 

 China. The amount for home use is small. The coral exported 

 to Italy is chiefly the " Aka-sango " (C. japonicum) and 

 " Momoiro-sango " (C. elatius), whilst the latter almost exclu- 

 sively is sent to China. The " Shiro-sango " (C. konojoi) is 

 rarely exported. When first introduced into Naples it sold, not- 

 withstanding its bad colour and somewhat cloudy aspect, for 

 £150 a kilogramme, a price which was due to its large size and 

 hardness. Now it is much cheaper. 



In Japan it has been used for two or three centuries chiefly 

 as beads for ladies' hair, cords for tobacco-pouches, " inro " 

 rosaries, and inlaid work. The " Momoiro-sango " is highly appre- 

 ciated, whilst the others are less valued. Mr. Kitahara concludes 

 with the remark equally applicable to the capture of food-fishes 

 as of coral, viz. : "It is generally believed that the coral fishery 

 is quite different from other fisheries from an economical stand- 

 point, for the catch can never be known beforehand, as one 

 boat may get nothing for a whole day's work, while another may 

 get several hundred yen worth in one haul on the same bank ! 

 This is true to a certain extent, but I believe it is too much to 

 say so decidedly, because the clever, experienced fishermen who 

 can exactly detect the position of the banks, and clearly under- 

 stand their contour, and can take advantage of the current in 

 using the net, have always a fair catch." 



In conclusion, it may be mentioned that the persistence of 

 the red coral of commerce was alluded to in the ' Eesources of 

 the Sea' (p. 12), and this notwithstanding man's efforts to 

 destroy it. It has been eagerly sought for many centuries, and 

 has been captured generally without restriction wherever and 

 whenever the corallini, or coral-fishermen, listed. Its growth is 

 comparatively slow, and its powers of increase limited. More- 

 over, fixed to rocks, stones, shells, and dead pieces of coral at 

 the bottom of the sea, it could neither escape the engines of cap- 

 ture nor, by an adult pelagic habit, aid in the spread of its larvee 



