100 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN [VOL. XVI, 



this was much too low to justify a profitable fishery, it was not till 

 after the valuation of November 1888, affording a valuation of 

 Rs. 13- 12-8 per 1,000, that a fishery was decided upon. The oysters 

 were therefore 5% years old when first fished in 1889. 



Against this we find that the comparatively stunted oysters of 

 the North-West Cheval Par were ready for fishing at 3% years of 

 age — a sample lifted in February 1874 giving the high valuation of 

 Rs. 36-8-O per LOCO. 



Finely grown oysters on the South-East Cheval were also fished 

 in 1878 at the reputed age of 4% years ; their valuation three months 

 prior thereto was Rs. 39-14-2 per 1,000. 



The oysters fished on the Muttuvaratu Par in March 1889 were 

 reputed to be 4% years old, and in the November preceding, at the 

 approximate age of 4^ years, the valuation sample worked out at 

 Rs. 10-2-4 per 1,000. 



2. Uti Par Group. 



A chain of six banks, the Nagara, Uti, Uduruvi, Kilati, Attuvai- 

 arpagam and Patarai Pars constitute this group. All are of small 

 and of about equal size, averaging from % to % of a mile in 

 diameter. They lie in a depth of 7 to 8^2 fathoms, landwards of the 

 Tolayiram Par, at a distance of 5 to 7 miles from the shore. They 

 stretch north and south about 3 miles. 



The area is essentially rocky, the proportion of sandy ground 

 intermingled with the rock insignificant. 



Faunistically this area is richer and more diversified than the 

 Tolayiram region, the intimate intermingling of rock and sand 

 upon the latter producing effects when the sea is disturbed which 

 but comparatively few species of animals can tolerate. 



The fauna agrees closely with that of those Southern Ceylon 

 banks lying off Negombo, notably with Uluwitte Par which lies at 

 the same depth. 



The features characterizing the Uti banks in common with those 

 off Negombo are as follows :— 



An abundance of sponges including a larger number of small 

 species than in the case of the Tolayiram. Siphonochalina com/minis 

 with its numerous commensals is amongst the most common ; fixed 

 corals are scarce ; Zoophytes are profuse with many colonial 

 masses of Filigrana tubes and everywhere the curious branched 



