NARRATIVE. 79 



out this recommendation, and went to the Periya Paar early in November with boats 

 and appliances suitable for the work, but found that he had arrived too late. The 

 south-west monsoon had intervened, the bed had apparently been swept clean, and 

 the enormous population of young oysters which we had seen in March, and which 

 might have been used to stock many of the smaller inshore paars, was now in all 

 probability either buried in sand or carried down the steep declivity into the deep 

 water outside. This experience, taken along with what we know of the past history 

 of the bank as revealed by the Inspectors' reports, shows that whenever young 

 oysters are found on the Periya Paar, they ought without delay to be dredged up in 

 bulk and transplanted to suitable ground in the Cheval district the region where the 

 most reliable paars are placed. 



From this example of the Periya Paar it is clear that in considering the vicissitudes 

 of the pearl-oyster banks we have to deal with great natural influences which cannot 

 be removed, but which may to some extent be avoided, and that consequently it is 

 necessary to introduce large measures of cultivation and regulation in order to 

 increase the adult population on the grounds, give greater constancy to the supply, 

 and remove the disappointing fluctuations in the fishery. The depth of water at the 

 spots where our divers went down on the Periya Paar varied from 9 to 12 fathoms, 

 the bottom is hard, so-called "rock," in most parts; in some places the flat "rock" is 

 covered by a thin layer of coarse quartz sand. A certain amount of dead shells, 

 bored by Gastropods, occurred, and a good many "Oorie" were brought up. Some 

 coral fragments were found in places, and a few other animals, Terebellids in sandy 

 tubes, and small fish (Gymnapistus niger), &c, were obtained. 



The sea-temperature on the Periya Paar at 7 a.m. was 80 - 3 F., and in the evening 

 (6 p.m.) on the Periya Paar Kerrai, much further inshore and north of the Cheval, it 

 was 82 F., the specific gravity on both being 1"023. 



We then, on March 12th, had 4 hauls of the dredge off the northern end of the 

 Periya Paar to the west and south-west. These may be united as 



STATION LXI. To the west and south-west of northern end of Periya Paar; 12 to 

 14 fathoms ; bottom sand, Nullipore and Coral, with Sargasso weed. 



AxineUa tubulata and A. donnani, Petrosia testudinaria ; 



Heterocyathus aequicostatus (with Gephyrea) and other Corals ; 



Physcosoma scolop>s (in AxineUa tubulata), Nicomache sp., Gastrolepidia clavigera; 



Phyllidiella sp. ; Asymmetron (Heteroplewon) cingalense. 



The Tow-Net at the same time gave some Copepoda, including PonieUopsis strenua 

 and Corycaus gracilicaudatus. 



On March 13th the day was spent in dredging from Periya Paar Kerrai westwards, 

 across Periya Paar and outwards to the west and south into deep water. Thirteen 

 hauls were taken, which may be grouped as two Stations 



