1922] MADRAS PEARL FISHERIES 147 



(c) Banks of Greatest Value. 



Descending to matters of detail, the present investigation shows 

 that certain of the pars or rather certain groups of pars are more 

 worthy of particular attention than others. The same conclusion 

 has been drawn with regard to the Ceylon Pars ; some are clearly 

 to be classed as favourable to the maturing of oysters, while others 

 — the majority — are wholly unreliable in this respect. 



Of the banks off the Indian coast, historical, physical, and 

 biological evidence combine to show that the Tolayiram Par and 

 the Kudamuttu and Karuwal groups of Pars are the highest in 

 relative importance, bearing the more frequent spat-falls and 

 yielding the major number of the fisheries that we are able to 

 localize. 



The northern or Kilakarai division is of little economic import- 

 ance ; prolonged inspection is not requisite in this region and the 

 time formerly devoted to this purpose can be employed to better 

 advantage in making more detailed examination of the pars of the 

 Central division and in carefully prospecting in the region lying 

 between the Karuwal group and Cape Comorin. 



The region last named has been neglected almost entirely in 

 the past ; during the kst 45 years only a small portion of the area 

 has received any attention on thirteen occasions, while many 

 square miles of sea bottom have been systematically ignored in 

 this region, which we have conclusive evidence to show formerly 

 yielded fisheries. 



The Tolayiram Par deserves the Inspector's greatest attention ; 

 it is the sole region seen during the investigation suitable for 

 cultural operations. The bottom resembles the better parts of the 

 Ceylon Cheval Par and like the latter premier bank is the largest 

 among its fellows in individual area. It has also a favourable 

 record for rearing its spat to maturity in great abundance. It may 

 not receive so many spat-falls as the Karuwal group, but from its 

 superior extent one successful fishery here, is, if it be properly 

 exploited by a sufficiency of divers, worth several of the smaller 

 Karuwal group fisheries. 



The Tolayiram Par should be mapped into blocks and each of 

 these should be carefully studied, periodically inspected, and the 

 results shown graphically in chart or diagram form annually. 



