42 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XV. 



6. Pullcat Oyster farm. — The Government note with satisfaction 

 the improved results from the farm during the season. 



7. Chank fishery. — The Government are aware that they must 

 expect a much reduced profit on the chank fishery during the 

 current and some succeeding seasons owing to the reduction in the 

 price of chanks which is due to economic causes beyond the Depart- 

 ment's control. This particular cause did not apparently operate 

 during the year 1920-21 in which the sale price of chanks to 

 contractors was based on a contract entered into three years pre- 

 viously. The large reduction in profits in the year under report is 

 due to a different reason, viz., the much smaller number of shells 

 fished, caused it is believed by 



(«) comparative exhaustion of the chank beds and failure to 

 find others equally good, and 



(b) constant difficulty about obtaining a sufficient number of 

 divers. 



The Government have on the recommendation of the Director 

 endeavoured to meet the latter difficulty by raising the remuneration 

 of divers employed on the Tinnevelly coast, which is based on the 

 number of chanks fished. The Director has also promised an 

 investigation into the causes of the fall. 



8. Marine Biologist's section. — There has been much discussion 

 during the year on the subject of the scale on which this work 

 should be performed, its scientific utility and the probability of 

 co-ordinating it in the near future with any work likely to increase 

 the catches of edible fish or, in other words, likely to result in 

 commercial advantage to the public or to Government. Its scienti- 

 fic utility is not questioned, but the Government have decided 

 after full consideration that the probability of obtaining any 

 commercial results is remote, and for financial reasons they are 

 unable to continue the work on its purely biological side, a matter 

 which belongs more properly to the Zoological Department of the 

 Government of India. The Government have therefore since 

 dispensed with the services of the Marine Biologist on the termina- 

 tion of his two years' agreement, and are continuing only such 

 branches of the department's biological activities as can be performed 

 by a small staff of subordinates under the scientific control of the 

 Director. One of these activities is the supply of zoological speci- 

 mens for educational purposes to colleges and schools. This work 

 was originated by the present Director when occupying the post of 

 Marine Biologist, and continues to be successfully performed. 



9. Madras Marine Aquarium. — This institution continues to be 

 popular and profitable. The question of constructing a marine 

 aquarium for purposes of research and education on a much more 

 ambitious scale has long been under the consideration of Govern- 

 ment. They have now decided not to proceed with the scheme for 

 the present. Indeed the necessity for such an aquarium is closely 



