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THE PEARL
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Australia.
Between longitudes 120 degrees E. and 150 degrees E., these mollusks
flourish on many coasts, including those of Japan, the Sulu
Archipelago, the Dutch Indies, the Spice Islands, the Banda Islands,
the Aroo Islands, New Guinea and northern Australia.
The
Australian shells are large and the lining is white and fine. As shell
fisheries they are the largest in the world and although the value of
the pearls found is small compared with the amount realized from the
sale of the shells it is considerable and growing. The Aroo shells are
white like the Australian. Those from the Banda Islands are a smaller
black-edge shell. Most of the others like the Manila shell of the Sulu
Islands, are yellow.
At
longitude 165 degrees E. the fisheries of New Caledonia are becoming
notable for the number of fine fancy colored pearls found there. Both
avicula margaritifera and meleagrina margaritifera are taken off the
west coast.
In
the waters of the Fiji Islands, longitude 180 degrees E. pearl oysters
of the black edge shell variety similar to the Bandas but a little
larger are fairly abundant.
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