Owing to the circumstance of the pearl-oyster being found congregated, like the common oyster, in great abundance in certain localities, regular fisheries are established, some of which have furnished pearls for many centuries. Ceylon, still the most famous of the pearl fisheries, was celebrated for the same valuable product in the time of Pliny, when that island was called Tabroboane. The same writer also mentions the island of Stoidis as one of the places in the Persian Gulf especially celebrated for its pearl fishery. The same method of procuring pearls was practised in the time of the Romans as in modern times,—viz., by diving and dredging, but especially by the former. As the exertion demanded from divers is exceedingly violent, they are generally said to be unhealthy and short-lived. The best fishery ground is at a depth of 6 or 8 fathoms water, where the divers remain under water from 50 to 80 seconds, but rarely longer. Percival, in his Ceylon, tells of a diver who came from Anjango in 1797, and who could absolutely remain under water for full six minutes. They seldom use any precaution to prevent the water from injuring them, and make forty or fifty descents daily, bringing 100 oysters in their bag on each occasion. The fishing season seldom lasts above a month, beginning about the 5th of March. The pearl fisheries of the present day are situated on the west coast of Ceylon, especially in the Bay of Condatchy, the coast of Coromandel, the Bahrein Islands in the Persian Gulf; the coast of Algiers, the Sooloo Islands, the Gulf of Panamá, and the island of Margarita. The finest oriental pearls are obtained from Ceylon and the Coromandel coast. These fisheries are in the hands of the government, by whom they are regulated and farmed out. The beds are annually surveyed, and their condition reported to the government. They are divided into four equal portions, one only of which is allowed to be worked in each year. By this means a three years' rest is insured after each fishing; thus affording the growing meleagrinus, which are free and active in their young state, an opportunity of settling down on the bed, from which the weight of their full-grown shell prevents them from moving in the adult state. As perhaps no fishery of any kind produces such a vast amount of wealth, and gives so much scope for speculation in so short a space of time, the shores of the Bay of Condatchy in the months of February, March, and April present a very animated spectacle. Here are found Indians and Jews—merchants, boatmen, divers; conjurors to chain the sharks, so dreaded by the divers; Brahmins and Roman Catholic priests, many of the Malee divers being Roman Catholics. The merchants and jewellers are busy and excited with their trade, often speculating upon the contents of their favourite boats before their arrival. The fleet of boats leaves the shore at ten o'clock at night upon the firing of a signal-gun, and returns at noon the following day. As soon as they appear, the gun is again fired, and the flags are hoisted; the shore is quickly crowded with anxious faces, and a perfect Babel is witnessed when the boats touch the strand, inquiries in twenty or more languages being shouted out by the eager crowd as to the result of the cruise. The cargo of each boat is quickly landed and taken possession of by its owners, who immediately commence opening the shells and searching for the pearls. These pass into other hands as soon as found; and the excitement is greater than ever, caused by the hawkers and others engaged in the purchase and preparation of the gems for other markets, as they are all drilled and cleaned on the spot. (See Percival's Ceylon.) It is almost impossible to tell the exact value of the produce of pearls, as there is no arrangement for the purpose, and the contracts taken by the government (about L45,000 per annum) afford no criterion, as they barely pay the working expenses.

The pearl fisheries of the Bahrein Islands, belonging to Persia, are said to yield annually from L200,000 to L240,000 sterling. A considerable fishery exists at Kur-ranchie, on the Bombay coast, which is let by the Indian government to contractors for about 40,000 rupees (L4000) annually. The pearls are, however, of little value, being very small. They are called seed pearls, and are chiefly used in medicine by vytnas and hakims (Hindu and Mohammedan doctors). According to Dr Austic, the powder of pearls is supposed to have the virtue of strengthening weak eyes, and to have considerable efficacy in palpitations, nervous tremors, hemorrhage, and other affections. Hence the fishery for seed pearls is kept up with vigour; but they are obtained from the shells thrown on the coast by the surf, and not by diving.

The South American pearl fisheries are carried on with great activity; but the quality of the pearls is not equal to those of the East. In 1587, 697 lbs. weight of pearls were imported from Columbo and Margarita into Spain. Philip II. obtained a pearl from Margarita in 1574 which weighed 250 carats, and was worth 150,000 dollars (L31,875). In 1824 Messrs Rundell, Bridge, and Rundell obtained the exclusive right of using these fisheries for ten years.

Notwithstanding the great value of the pearls yielded by the various fisheries, it is probable that the shells of the animals now yield a far more profitable return than the jewels. In 1856 the total value of pearls imported into the United Kingdom was L56,162; whereas the imports of 2102 tons of the shells were valued at L76,544. (T.C.A.)