1922] 



MADRAS PEARL FISHERIES 



49 



(l>) that in the same way each Indian fishery was followed at 

 a similar interval by one on the Ceylon banks. 



Thus the Indian fisheries of — 



1669 



1700 



1747 — x 749 



1805 



1807 



1S10 



1815 



1S1S 



1822 



1830 



i860— 1862 



i88q, 1890 

 1908 



while in the same way the Indian 

 fisheries of — 

 1663 

 1691 



1747— 1749 



1792 



1805 



1807 and 1S10 



1815 



1818 



1822 



1828 



1830 



i860— 1862 



1900 



were preceded respectively by Ceylon 

 fisheries held in — 



1666, 1667. 



1695, J 697- 



1746. 



1799, l &°3 and 1804. 



1804, 1806. 



1806, 180S. 



1S09, 1814. 



1814 — 1816. 



1S20. 



1828, 1829. 



1857— 1860. 



i8>'4, 1887. 



1903— 1907. 



were followed respectively by Ceylon 

 fisheries in — 



1666, 1667. 



1694 — 1697. 



175°. 1753 and 1754- 

 1796. 



1806, 1808. 



1809, 1814. 



1816, 1820. 



j 820. 



1828. 



1829— 1833, 



1831— 1833 and 1835. 



1S63. 



1903— 1907. 



Such regularity of alternative succession extending over 75 per 

 cent of the fisheries held on the Indian side appears to be more 

 than a mere coincidence and lends weight to an opinion that has 

 gradually been taking shape and developing in my mind that the 

 beds on the opposite sides of the Gulf confer reciprocal benefits 

 upon one another and that the Ceylon banks are frequently reple- 

 nished from those off the Madura coast and, conversely, that the 

 latter obtain most of their deposits of spat from the Ceylon side. 



7 



