140 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XV, 



experiments. The maximal seasons for the freshwater prawns 

 are from August to October and again from December to March. 



The crabs sold in the markets are usually Scylla serrata, the 

 common estuarine crab, the Kalinandu (Kali = backwater) or Pala- 

 verkat nandu (so called because of its abundance in the Pulicat 

 lake), the marine crabs Neptunus pelagicus, the Vari nandu, and 

 TV. sanguinolentus, the Munru Pulli (3 spots) nandu, and the fresh 

 water crab Telphusa leschenaultii. According to the inshore fishing 

 statistics of 1918-19 they were of no importance only 6 lb. having 

 been caught that year. The best season for crabs as seen from 

 the following table is the trimester March, April and May, though 

 they are brought in good numbers to the markets in June, Septem- 

 ber and December: — 



Months. 



July 



August ... 



September 



October... 



November 



December 



January 



February 



March ... 



April 



May 



June 



Total 



The Silverbellies (Gerrida?) comprising the three genera Equula, 

 Gazza and Gerres are the most important food fishes of the Madras 

 waters taking the place of Valai (Chirocentrus dorab) in Tuticorin. 

 According to the statistics of the inshore fishing experiments they 

 occupy the fourth place, while in Tuticorin they were the eleventh 

 in importance. These fish are greatly in demand by the poor who 

 consume them as a delicacy, but are too small for European cook- 

 ery. They are priced as cheap as 1 anna 9 pies per lb. and so are 

 within the reach of the poor man's purse. The Tamil name of 

 Equula and Gazza is Karal, but they are usually known as Karapodi 

 to indicate their small size. The species included under this group 

 are Equula edentula and E. insidiatrix (Suduppunam Karal), E 



