HISTORY OF THE PRINCIPAL PEARL BANKS. 9 



Nov., 1902. Both old (over 3 years) and young (6 to 18 mouths) oysters abundant 



on both East and West Chevals. Samples taken. 

 Mar., 1903. Fishery on East Cheval (about 46,000,000 oysters, including Periya 



Paar Kerrai, yielded over 800,000 rupees). 

 Feb., 1904. Mr. Hornell estimated there were 35,000,000 of 4^-year old oysters 



on the West Cheval. Also many young, about 2|- years old. 

 Mar., 1904. Fishery on West Cheval (over 41,000,000 oysters yielded over 



1,000,000 rupees). 



On looking over this record, although it is obvious that it is incomplete, that some 

 gaps (e.g., 1840 to 1851) occur, that some oysters are mentioned whose first appearance 

 was not noted and others whose fate is not known, still it is possible, in most cases, to 

 trace the history of events and to follow particular broods from year to year. One 

 cannot but feel doubtful as to the accuracy of some of the ages assigned, especially in 

 the case of the earlier records. If the oysters estimated at 5 to 6 years old in March, 

 1805, were those fished a year later, they must then have been unusually aged. 

 Captain Doxxan considers that most oysters when fished are not more than 5 years 

 old, and I am inclined to agree with him. If the 1805 oysters were really upwards 

 of 5 years, a very serious risk was run in leaving them unfished ; and the same 

 remark applies in regard to the oysters estimated at 6 to 7 years in March, 1813, 

 and fished in 1814. It is probable, looking through these and other records, that 

 many beds of oysters have been lost in the past through delay in fishing. Inspectors 

 and Administrators are no doubt tempted to wait by the thought that the older the 

 oysters are the more valuable will be their pearls. An additional year of growth 

 mo doubt increases the value greatly, but the chances of death in that final year are 

 also greatly increased. On the whole I am of opinion that 5-year old oysters should 

 never be left unfished. It will be noticed that the reputed 6-year old oysters of 

 October, 1815, apparently died that winter, that the 4-year old oysters of March, 

 1820, were dead before the following year, that oysters probably 4 years old in 

 December, 1873, had begun to die off, that oysters supjjosed to be 4 years old in 

 November, 1876, were dying 3 months later, and that the oysters fished on 

 South-East Cheval in March, 1863 (which according to the estimate were 7 years ! 

 but I suspect this to be a mistake and that they were not more than 5 years) were 

 dying off, while those of the same brood from the South-west Cheval were found to 

 be all dead in March, 1864. I think it probable that these oysters of the 1863 fishery 

 were those found "6 months old all over Cheval" in November, 1858, and were 

 therefore about 5 years old when fished. If I am right in this estimate, then the 

 "5 years" entered under November, 1861, must be a mistake for 3 years, and in 

 that case the absurdity of the remark "considered too young to fish next year" 

 disappears. 



Considering the large number of broods of oysters that have succeeded one another 



c 



