NO. 2 (1922) LACCADIVE FISHERIES 49 



THE FAUNA AND FISHING INDUSTRIES OF THE 



LACCADIVES. 



In September 1 920 at the suggestion of Mr. A. Y. G, Campbell, 

 the Director of Industries (then in charge of the Fisheries 

 Department), proposals were made for the Marine Biologist to 

 accompany an inspection party to the Laccadive Islands with a 

 view to gain further knowledge of the marine fauna and to make a 

 general collection of specimens. Subsequently it was decided 

 that only one of this section's staff need undertake the trip, 

 owing to want of room in the inspection steamer. It was eventually 

 arranged that the R.I.M.S. Minto should leave Mangalore about 

 the middle of November with Mr. R. H. Ellis, I.C.S., the officer in 

 charge of the inspection party, and his staff, and that I should 

 accompany them. 



The party left Mangalore as arranged at noon of the 18th. 

 After visiting all the islands we returned to Calicut on 24th 

 December having thus spent 38 days in all upon the inspection. 



The weather on the outward voyage was fine and we sighted 

 the first island Amini, of the Amindivi group attached to South 

 Kanara district for administrative purposes, at noon the next day 

 (19th November) and landed at 4 p.m. amidst light showers of rain, 

 an unusual happening at such a time of the year. 



AMINI is the chief of the Amindivi group and the head- 

 quarters of theMonigar; it possesses a dispensary with a small 

 meteorological station, in charge of an Assistant Surgeon, and a 

 Government elementary school. The other three inhabited islands 

 attached to it for administrative purposes are Kadamat (8 miles 

 north and just seen from the beach), Kiltan and Chetlat. Amini is 

 about 620 acres in extent. The soil is fertile, coconut palms growing 

 luxuriantly. The people, who were enumerated for the 1921 decen- 

 nial census, numbered 2,152; they appear to be in affluent circum- 

 stances. Of late the island has been divided into factions partly 

 due to petty local jealousies and partly to the upheaval of the lower 

 classes, such as Melacheris, etc. — who are toddy drawers, ordinary 

 labourers, etc., by profession — caused by the treatment accorded to 

 them by their caste superiors (Koyas, etc.). 



