New Orleans Republican., 1868-06-14
Coral and the Coral Fishery.


The immense eKte Mt of coral fornna-
ton found in various parts Of the
world is seldom fully realized by the
many millions of people VINO only see
small fragments of this substance
fashioned into ornaments, and exposed
either for sale or the qualification Of
vanity.
When we reject that the great
HBarrier Reef" one thousand miles
long, on the north coast of Australia,
and many other reefs nearly as great
in extent in other places, are the
growth of animal life, We might almost
excuse the belief of the ancient Greek
philosopher, that the whole world is
either one animal or mass Of in
seets.
The growth of what is enormously
called "ooral plant" assumes many
forms. Sometimes they resemble q
gigantic plant, with flowers and leaves.
Often they grow like large tree with
IeaAess b anches. Sometimes one
stem spreads out into a broad fat
surface in the shape of fan. What
ever shape the growth Of coral forma
tons takes there is an astonishing reg
ularity in maintaining an equilibrium,
each branch being bal need by an
other opposite, and each stem or main
body growing perpeudiculnr co its
plane.
Coral as we see it here is the bone
OF she'll Of an insect, from which the
flesh Of living substance has been re-
moved. A living branch of coral when
first taken from the SEA has a rough,
irregular surface covered with a shiny
substance, and dotted with little spots
Of what appears to be red Jelly.
These spots are the coral insects. Ex-
amined minutely when growing in the
sea the insect is seen in thousands,
each having q room of its own which
itneyer leaves.
In many kinds of tho poIypi or coral
insects the head has little parasol-
shaped cover. The arms, which are
furnished with eight claws. are long in
comparison with the bnoy, and are
generally seen extended for the sup
posed purpose of gathering food but
what that food really is am unable
to say.
1t is generally supposed that the
coral insect is indnstliaus that It il o
1 builder; and that By its iH50rs, com
4 neneed at the bottom of the sea, the
coral islands have been formed. This
Is only partly true. They live and
multipiy-that il oil and in doing this
family that starts ut thu bottom of
the sea in time reaches the surface at
low water. The structure they form
is not elevated one inch above the sea
level, for tie insect eau only live IN
the warm salt water.
The older the coral shells or bono
the stronger is the color, aud the more
difficult it is TO procure The money
value Of coral depends wholly on its
scarcity, or the difficulty Of obtaining
it. although as far as use or ornament
Is concerned one kiud is worth in re-
atty as much as another.
At Honolulu and other places on the
Pacific islands, have seen houses
built Of coral, which was as common
Is granite or sandstone here. and was
worth no more. If the many-headed
public who suffer the sorrows Of fol-
owing fashion, could be made to be-
fsve that this common coral was sell
aom found, and was procured with
great danger and difficulty from a
depth of five hundred feet under water.
It would Immediately find sume here
tofore hidden beauty in that particular
kind of coral which would become q
valuable article of commerce. Those
who are enslaved by fashion are very
sharp in learning from others what is
common and what is rare; and without
the slightest regard t. the use Of an
article the merchants who live princi-
pally BY the vanity Of others, regu-
late the prices. 4
To witness the forms Of coral struc-
sufes one would think that the insects
must have some means of cOmmunioat-
ing with each other at a distance,
although they can not leave their
shells. Naturalists may be able to
secount for some Of their peculisrities,
but 10 me there Is mystery in the
Ray they manage to construct forma-
tons Of coral rock on mathematioal
lilnciples. When growing in the
shape Of a tree what teaches the in
sApt to withhold extending it farther Ii
pc direction than anOtheFl When
sae tribe Of insects commence stfuc-
me IN the bottom of the Pacific, what
Asblss them to extend in two direo-
ens In a perfect circle until the two
sads meet forming ring from half
nlle to ten miles ia diameter What