xai;i;ativf, 



65 



protection from the south-west monsoon. The si lore of t lie bay is muddy and tin' 

 water shallow for a long way off. There is much Zostera, but every living thing 

 seems covered with a tine deposit of mud. 



In the afternoon we sailed for Manaar, which I had been asked to examine and 

 report upon. The sea-temperature at 7 A.M. on North Modragam was 7t) F. and at 

 7 P.M. on the south bar at Manaar it was 81 F., the specific gravity as usual was 

 1"023 at both times. 



We had caught a number of Sea-snakes (Hydrophidse) during the last few days, 

 and the stomachs of all these were examined to see whether any foundation in fact 

 existed for the belief that they feed upon the pearl oysters. We found no evidence 

 of that. Without exception the stomach contents in the snakes we caught were the 

 more or less digested but still recognisable remains of various kinds of fish. Such 

 examinations, and the recording of our pearl-oyster 

 experiments and statistics, went on during the time 

 spent in getting from one spot to another, and when 

 lying at anchor. Dr. W. Haxxa, of Liverpool, has 

 kindly examined the Hydrophidse I brought back 

 and finds that three species are represented, vi/.., 

 Enhydris curt us, Hydrus platurus and Hydrophis 

 fascialus. 



On arriving off the south bar at Manaar we took 

 a tow-net gathering which contained, amongst other 

 Copepoda, Oitkona rigida, Euterpe acutifrons and 

 Labidocera acuta. We also caught a large Remora 

 (EcJieneis naucrates) measuring fully "J4 inches in 

 length and having a sucker (3 inches long. It was 

 slate-blue dorsally and of a lighter colour ventrally. 

 On laving it with the sucker against the upright 

 bare back of a diver, in the air, it at once adhered so 

 firmly that one could grasp it by the tail and pull 

 with some force without detaching the fish (fig. 14). 



March 3rd was occupied in enquiring into the 

 marine biological possibilities of Manaar. The sea- 

 temperature at 7 a.m. was 7i)"o F. and at 7 P.M. on the north end of the East (Jheval 

 was 80 F., the specific gravity being 1"023. 



We crossed the south bar in the ship's boat with some difficulty, and went aground 

 several times in the long shallow muddy passage leading up to the town of Manaar. 

 The Assistant Government Agent sent for Mr. Y. Vkaspillai, the respected and 

 experienced Adigar of Musali, who took us round to the various bays and creeks, 

 showed us the different kinds of shore, and gave us full information as to the fishing 

 and the shell-fish found locally, and the influence of the tides and winds. The Adigar 



D 



K 



Fig. 1 i. Remora attached to the 

 back of a diver. 



