No. 6(1921) COMMON MOLLUSCS OF SOUTH INDIA 



113 



is dilated into a stout wing-like expansion, which in Pterocera is 

 armed with enormously stout finger-like spines. 



The common Strombus of South India is S. caiiarium {viranjan, 

 Tamil), a small massive species with a prominent thickened "wing," 

 abundant in the shallows of Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar. 

 The poorer coast people collect them when gathering other shells 

 for food and sometimes cook them along with more esteemed shell- 

 fish. The shells have value independently of this ; very large 

 numbers are used annually at Kilakarai by shell-ring cutters in their 

 trade. These men, who belong to the Sangu vcttian Muhammadan 



community, pursue the most primitive 

 of methods, such as doubtless pre- 

 historic men employed for the same 

 purpose. The two ends of the shell are 

 first broken down by means of hammer 

 blows, and then the resultant middle 

 portion is ground down laboriously 

 upon a stone. Except a hammer, a 

 chisel, and a file to smooth the edges, no 

 other tool is employed. These rings, 

 known as Sangu modiram, are exten- 

 sively used as finger rings throughout 

 the Tamil country as a specific for skin 

 disease In the Malabar and South 

 Kanara districts, certain classes of the 

 poor population — Pulayas, Holayas 

 and some Mukkuvans use these rings 

 in the making of necklaces for their women and children. 



The stromb is a remarkably active gastropod ; its foot is narrow 

 and arched, the hinder part elongated and armed with a peculiarly 

 long claw-shaped operculum strongly serrate along one side. They 

 progress by a sort of leaping movement ; they are reputed to be 

 carrion feeders and whatever may be their powers of smell, their 

 sight is remarkably smart. Holding one in the hand the watchful 

 alert look in the prominent eyes when at bay, is so different from 

 the impression of sluggishness given by most other molluscs that 

 one has no difficulty in giving the strombs credit for comparatively 

 high intelligence. Cautious handling is necessary, for they have a 

 habit of lying quiescent for a few moments, watching an opportunity, 



Fig. 6. Common Strombus 

 (.S". canariuni). 



