CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



Nov., 1858. Oysters 6 months old all over Cheval. 



Mar., 1859. North-west Cheval fished (3,000,000 oysters yielded 194,481 rupees). 



< Jysters 2 years old on South-east Cheval. Oysters 1 year old on South- 

 west Cheval. 

 Nov., 1860. Abundant oysters 3 years old on South-west Cheval. 



,, 1861. Sample from South-east Cheval taken up and estimated at 5 years. 



Considered too young to fish next year [!]. 

 Mar., 1862. Oysters plentiful, but many dead shells to south. 

 Nov., 1862. South-east Cheval inspected and sample lifted. Oysters fine and 



healthy looking and full grown. On the north-east the oysters lie thick 



and healthy, but are younger than on the south-east. 

 Mar., 1863. South-east Cheval fished (over 11,000,000 yielded 510,178 rupees), 



oysters dying off. Oysters on South-west Cheval. Ground covered with 



large fishes (Ray) when fishery began. 

 Oct., 1863. Sample lifted from South-west Cheval and fishery recommended for 



March next ; many dead shells found. The oysters are of the same brood 



as those fished in March, 1863. No young oysters on any part of 



Cheval. 

 Mar., 1864. All dead. Possibly some eaten by Rays, but the oysters were old. 

 Nov., 1865. Bare of oysters. 

 Mar., 1866. No oysters. 



1867. Abundant young oysters (? " false-spat," fide Hoknell) attached to 



weed on grounds fished in 1858, 1859, and 1863, but only weed on fishing 



grounds of 1864 and 1859. 

 Dec, 1868. Weed and oysters gone. No young ones. North and north-east 



much covered with sand. South-west and south (Koddai Paar) clear of 



sand, but covered with sponge. 

 Oct., 1869. No oysters on usual grounds, but a patch 2 or 3 years old to 



eastward. Not enough to fish. 

 Alar., 1870. Oysters still there. 9 patches of young oysters 1 to 3 months old on 



Cheval. To west nothing but sand and rock. 

 April, 1871. Two patches 1 year old on south-west and north-west, A few 



oysters 4 years old on patch found in 1869. 

 Mar.. I 872. Bed of oysters 2 to 3 years old from south-west to north-west. None 



on south-east. 

 ,, 1873. Oysters in same position as last year. Patch of young oysters a 



month or two old to extreme north-west. 

 Dec, 1873. Oysters have begun to die off. Small fishery recommended for next 



March. Valuation Rs. 33.33 per thousand. Young oysters to north-west 



have all disappeared. 

 Mar., 1874. North-west Cheval fished (yielded 101,199 rupees). Extensive 



