1922] MADRAS PEARL FISHERIES 83 



divers complained bitterly of the discomfort of these conditions 

 under which they had to examine the bottom by touch alone. 



This excessive turbidity is in itself quite sufficient to entail upon 

 pearl oysters starvation, weakness and eventual death, especially 

 in the case of young and immature ones. A similar condition 

 entailing fatal results I noticed among the younger oysters which 

 I kept in aquarium tanks at Galle during the south-west monsoon 

 when discoloured turbid water is the prevailing condition in Galle 

 harbour. 



My coxswains, who have been connected with Ceylon inspec- 

 tions for a very long period, 12 to 19 years, state that while the 

 water becomes discoloured on the Ceylon side after a continuance 

 of heavy weather the extent of turbidity is slight compared with 

 what they have seen on this side during the last two days. 



On the rocky ground of this region the tubes of Eunice tubifex 

 were plentiful together with many sponges and gorgonoids. 



Siphonochalina communis, Axinclla donnani, A. tubulata, Isodictya 

 sp., Subcritcs inconstans, etc., were met with, also Juncclla juncea (in 

 quantity) and Gorgonia tniniacea. 



Neither chanks nor Pinna were found. 



The sand met with was, as usual on this coast, fine grained and 

 largely calcareous, made up in the main of minutely comminuted 

 shells. The quartz grains present were all extremely minute ; 

 foraminifera were fairly abundant. 



In the afternoon as wind and sea increased rapidly we ran 

 for shelter to the north-east side of Uppu Tanni Tivu. By 4 p.m. a 

 very nasty cross sea got up and with the wind blowing half a gale 

 the ship rolled unpleasantly at her anchorage. Towards sunset a 

 strong land wind set in, the sky over the land murky-red and 

 threatening. 



In the morning (May 14th) the landward side of the vessel, and 

 of the awnings, funnel, stanchions, etc., was covered with a thick 

 coating of impalpable red dust ; the murkiness over the land of the 

 preceding night had been clue to dust clouds, which, as they 

 prevail throughout the south-west monsoon on this coast, must 

 therefore form no inconsiderable factor in the production of muddy 

 deposits in the sea. 



KUMULAM PAR. — Leaving the Uppu Tanni Tivu anchorage at 

 6-20 a.m. we steamed south to the small Kumulam Par. A series 

 of dives here in six fathoms showed the bottom to be rocky, 



