1922] MADRAS PEARL FISHERIES 105 



The group has a disappointing history well expressed in the 

 name of the median par— Nenjurichchan, literally " Heart- 

 harrower." Why this should be so is difficult to say as the group 

 lies less than a mile to the south of the Tolayiram Par group ; 

 even the sandy stretch separating these groups carries occasional 

 clusters of oysters and on the chank bed to the north-west it is not 

 uncommon to find a dozen young oysters making use of the chanks 

 in the absence of cultch and rock. 



Probably the reason for such continued lack of oysters is due 

 to some peculiarity in the set of the surface drift over these beds. 



This group should receive regular attention during the next 

 few years with a view to elucidate the reasons for this characteris- 

 tic, note being taken (and recorded) of the character of the surface 

 at each inspection, together with particulars of the relative 

 abundance of the chief organisms met with, sponges, gorgonoids, 

 corals, the tubes of Eunice, suran, chanks, fishes and sea- 

 weeds. 



7. Puli Pundu Group. 



South-west of the Nenjurichchan group, this collection of small 

 rocky banks comprising the Vada Onbadu, Saith Onbadu, Puli 

 Pundu and Kanna Puli Pundu Pars, is situated about 9 miles 

 north-east of Pinnakayal and some 8 miles west from the coast. 

 The depth ranges between 7% to 8% fathoms. 



The bottom of the pars is of flat-surfaced rock, somewhat 

 patchy in distribution. Here and there is a small amount of cultch, 

 more especially on the landward side, where a considerable amount 

 of water-worn coral branches, " challai," is present. 



The par is mostly a fine grained and exceedingly dense lime- 

 stone, reddish brown in tint and so hard as to ring under the 

 hammer. Occasionally the traces of dead massive corals, Astraa 

 or Mcandrina, appear embedded in the surface layer of this rock, and 

 are usually much bored into by tunnelling molluscs and sponges. 



The parchment-like tubes of Eunice tubifex are most profuse, 

 their lower portions penetrating the tunnels already existing in the 

 surface of the par-calcrete. The usual massive sponges, Siphono- 

 chalina communis, Spongella nigra, and Subcritcs inconstans are met 

 with, while off the edge of the banks on the west and north chanks 

 were found in number together with an occasional Pinna. 



The history of the group is disappointing, no record existing of 

 any fishery having taken place here, although there were spat falls 

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