142 



Months. 

 October 

 November 

 December 

 January 

 February 

 March 

 April 

 May 

 June 



Total ... 260,907 26,139 t 



From the above statement the best season for Savalai appears 

 to be from September till January, the maximum catch being in 

 October. November ranks next and as it is equivalent to the 

 Tamil month Karthigai the Savalai is also known by the name of 

 Karthigai Valai. 



The horsemackerels, so named because of the supposed 

 coarseness^of their flesh, are the next in importance, though accord- 

 ing to the Madras inshore fishing statistics are the 15th out of 39 

 food fishes. In Tuticorin they occupied the 14th place in the list 

 of 36 food fishes. The species usually sold in Madras are Caranx 

 rottleri (Komaraparai), C. djedaba (Morsing parai = Jew's harp 

 horsemackerel), C. iffinis (Semparai), C. kalla, C. armatus and 

 C. nigrexcens (Thengai parai or coconut fish), C. ire (Vennai parai 

 or Butter-fish), C. Icptolcpis (Pulli parai or spotted horsemackerel), 

 C. speciosus (Puli parai or tiger horsemackerel) and C. hippos 

 (Manjal parai). They are all good eating and are included among 

 primefish. This is the most important fishery in Madras as it 

 fetches the highest total value among the fishes (crustaceans are 

 excluded) of Madras. 



Months. LB. RS. A. 



July ... 25.015 3,359 I 



August ... ... ... 56,200 7f742 9 



September 22,535 26,645 9 



Octcber ... 9,208 1,182 10 



November ... ... ... 6,225 997 14 



December ... ... ... 5,^39 St' 6 13 



January ... 9,029 1,588 4 



