153 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIV, 



northern part of Travancore. Within these boundaries, wherever 

 rocks are found inside of the three-fathom line, the Green Mussel 

 usually finds conditions favourable and covers the walls of all 

 crannies and protected sheltered surfaces with its closely set mul- 

 titudes. Wherever it is found, it is accompanied by edible-oysters — 

 chiefly Ostrea virginiaua ; we can clearly distinguish an 0. virgini- 

 ana — M. viridis formation in such situations on both the East 

 and West Coasts. The rocky coast of South Kanara from Gangoli 

 to Kap, and that stretch of the Malabar Coast from Eli Mala to 

 Kadalundi, are the two localities where conditions are most favour- 

 able for its growth ; these localities produce the great bulk of the 

 mussels consumed in these two districts. The south section of 

 Malabar is too sandy and rockless to give foothold and few mussels 

 are fished there. 



The collection of mussels is a minor marine industry of some 

 importance at several places, especially in the neighbourhood of 

 Cannanore, Tellicherry, Mahe and Calicut and also in Travancore. 

 The flesh is highly esteemed and is eaten by Muhammadans and 

 Christians and by all Hindu castes inferior to the Nayars ; in Mala- 

 bar, I understand, however, that even the last named consider 

 mussels as a delicacy, although those of Travancore will not partake 

 of them. Kitchen-middens composed largely of these shells are 

 often to be seen near huts as the train passes along the coast line 

 between Calicut and Cannanore. 



As the higher range of these mussels extends just above the 

 low-water level of spring tides, the greater quantity are got by 

 collection from rocks exposed or awash at spring tides ; a consider- 

 able number are, however, obtained from deeper water by divers. 

 Both at Cannanore and at Tellicherry there are a few Mappillas 

 who prosecute this industry for a few months in the year. The 

 diver carries with him a coir bag and a bamboo stick sharpened at 

 each end. With the latter he separates the mussels from the rocks 

 and brings them to the surface in the bag. They are fished only 

 during the dry months from December to May by which time they 

 have attained edible dimensions. During the south-west monsoon 

 it is impossible to gather any owing to the violence of the sea and 

 for a few months thereafter they are too small in size to be worth 

 taking. 



Cannanore, Tellicherry and Mahe are the only towns in Malabar 

 where mussels are exposed for sale in the public markets. About 



