106 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN [VOL. XVI, 



noted in 1867, 1874, 1878, 1885, 1895, 1897 and 1901, all of small 

 extent and of no practical importance. 



The banks were not examined during the 8 years between 1886 and 1895. 



Fishes are very plentiful on this ground and the area of rocky 

 ground exposed is practically insignificant compared with the area 

 of sand, while cultch is quite insufficient. It is probable that in 

 these three disabilities we have the reasons for the smallness of 

 the numbers of oysters noticed here from time to time. 



8. Inner Kudamuttu Group. 



A series, stretching north and south, of 6 small banks lying 5 to 

 6 miles off the coast between Pinnakayal and Kayalpattanam. 

 The most northerly is the small Pinnakayal Seltan Par, the most 

 southerly a small bank, unnamed upon the chart, lying a quarter 

 of a mile south of the Saith Kudamuttu Par — the depth in all cases 

 being 7% to 8% fathoms. 



The general character of the rocky ground is almost identical 

 with that characterizing the Uti Par group which lies in the same 

 depth of water. Many of the larger organisms found in the latter 

 locality are also present here, sponges and Eunicid tubes coming 

 up at nearly every dive. Pinna and Balanus were noted as absent 

 from these banks — common features of the Uti pars. As on the 

 latter, a few odd oysters remain from the generation noted in 1902 

 as being from 1% to 2 years old ; all were more or less enveloped 

 in the orange-red sponge Qathria indica. 



In 1818 Kudamuttu, Saith Kudamuttu and Pudu Pars gave a 

 fishery yielding Rs. 1,67,693. Ten years later they were fished 

 again in conjunction with the neighbouring pars, and from an 

 entry in Captain Phipps' list * that oysters 2% to 3 years old were 

 present in May i860 and that no inspection was made in the two 

 following years, I think there can be no doubt that mature fishable 

 oysters were here also in 1861 or 1862, not being fished owing to a 

 large number of other banks being stocked at the same date and 

 receiving preference in the order of fishing. 



The rocks show some diversity in character, dense and compact 

 limestone passing in some places into a somewhat quartzose stone 

 having a calcareous matrix. The hard bottom is much cut up by 

 more or less extensive stretches of sand. Here and there we meet 



* Thomas, II. Sullivan, he. ciL, page 55. 



