186 UTILIZATION OF MINUTE LIFE. 



so exhausting to the pearl oyster beds, that the 

 fishery is now almost entirely abandoned. Occa- 

 sionally, however, a shipload of pearl-shell is sent 

 to Liverpool, and sold at the rate of 2 to 4 per 

 cwt. for manufacturing buttons, ornaments in 

 mother-of-pearl, etc. 



There is another species of Avicula, A. sterna of 

 Gould, known to exist in the same locality. 



Avicula margaritifera, like other mussels and 

 oysters, lies in banks or beds of greater or less 

 depths. On the west coast of Ceylon these shoals 

 occur about fifteen miles from the shore, where the 

 depth is twelve fathoms ; and there, at Aripo, 

 Chilow, Condatchy, etc., the greatest of all pearl 

 fisheries has been carried on for centuries. The 

 season for fishing always commences in March or 

 April, because in those latitudes the sea is then in 

 its calmest state. The fishing continues till the 

 end of May. 



The boats of the pearl-fishers hold about twenty 

 men, ten of whom are experienced divers. These 

 descend rapidly through the water to the rocks on 

 which the mollusca are clustered, by placing their 

 feet upon a large stone attached to a rope, the 

 other end of which is fastened to the boat. They 

 carry with them a second rope, the extremity of 

 which is held by two men in the boat, whilst to the 

 other extremity, held by the diver, is fixed a strong 



