30 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



Nov., 1887. 49,000,000 3-year-old oysters firm on rocky ground. 



Dec, 1888. -Oysters have not suffered. Sample lifted 4 years old fishery 



recommended. 

 Mar., 1889.-39,000,000 oysters fished. Oysters were young (yielded 498,377 



rupees)- small thick " Kottapakku " variety. 

 Nov., 1889. Still a large number (30,000,000). 

 Mar., 1890. Over 33,000,000 oysters fished (yielded over 300,000 rupees) much 



mixed in size ; plenty of small pearls. 

 Nov., 1890. Oysters still there in quantity. 



Mar., 1891. Over 44,000,000 oysters fished (yielded over 900,000 rupees) much 

 mixed, but for the most part full-grown, rich in pearl ; rapidly dying off- 

 many putrid and of offensive smell when brought to the Kottus. 

 1893. No oysters. 

 1895. 



,, 1896. 127 dives showed oysters 3 to 6 months old. 499 dives were unpro- 

 ductive bare rock. 

 1897. 260 dives gave bare rock ; 410 showed the presence of young oysters, 



about 1 year old, estimated at 72,000,000. 

 ,, 1898. Oysters, 2 to 2^ years old, reported from 278 dives; 429 reported 



bare rock. 

 ,, 1899. The bank is again practically clear of oysters. All but total dis- 

 appearance. Probably due to ravages of large Rays. 

 ,, 1900. Abundance of young 3 to 9 months old. 



,, 1901. Abundance of young 18 months old; 178,000,000. Large area on 

 north-west side of southern portion has been completely cleared since last 

 year. 

 ,, 1902. Oysters still present in enormous abundance ; 277,000,000. 

 Nov., 1902. Considerable reduction in number, and appearance stunted; many 



yellow individuals present. 

 Mar., 1903. Still very numerous, about 125 to the square yard in places. 



,, 1904.-7-801116 old still remain, but dying off rapidly. Considerable numbers 

 of younger ones, about 1 year old, now present. 



The history of the Muttuvaratu Paar is interesting because of the great gap from 

 1827 to 1886, during the greater part of which period the bank had apparently been 

 lost sight of. In 1820, 1826, and 1827 there are entries of quantities of old oysters 

 on the rocky bottom,* but there are no records of a fishery until after Captain Donnan 



* Captain Donnan, however, writes to me that he thinks it probable that these early inspections were 

 on Hamilton's Muttuvaratu Paar, which lies between 2 and 3 miles to the north-east of the true Muttu- 

 varatu ; in which case we have no record of the true paar from the time of the Portuguese until Donnan 

 re-discovered it in 1SG0 or 18G1. 



