No. 6(1921) COMMON MOLLUSCS OF SOUTH INDIA i;i 



exceptionally, as on some rocks situated near estuaries on the 

 Malabar Coast, does it form considerable deposits in the open sea, 

 although odd individuals are often met with wherever rocks occur 

 upon the littoral. Young oysters of this species are also often 

 found on shells in water up to 8 fathoms in depth, but these do not 

 thrive and seldom reach maturity. 



Backwater oysters have considerable value to the poorer popu- 

 lations living in the vicinity; the chief centres on the West 

 Coast are the backwaters at Tellicherry and Beypore in Malabar, 

 Cochin and Azhikode in Cochin State and Vembanad backwater 

 in Travancore. On the East Coast the backwaters at Cuddalore 

 Covelong, Ennur and Pulicat are famed for the abundance of their 

 oyster beds, while further north there are extensive beds in the 

 deltas of the Kistna and Godavari and in the backwaters of 

 Vizagapatam and Ganjam. The oyster beds of Sonapur back- 

 water in Ganjam are the most extensive of these latter. 



Unfortunately the better classes of Indians do not appreciate 

 oysters and none will make use of this excellent food supply. 

 Among Hindus, only the lower classes of shore dwellers eat 

 oysters, together with some Muhammadans and Indian Christians. 

 The only good class trade in oysters is that supplying the require- 

 ments of Europeans and Anglo-Indians in a few of the larger coast 

 towns, as Madras, Calicut, Cochin and Mangalore. Many of the 

 sources of supply are however under grave suspicion of possible 

 sewage contamination. Because of this and in order to provide a 

 supply of good eiuality oysters free from any danger of being 

 disease carriers. Government in 1910 permitted the Fisheries 

 Department to form a model oyster park in Pulicat Lake where 

 oysters are cultivated under hygienic conditions and thence distri- 

 buted throughout the length and breadth of the Presidency. 



The most extensive oyster beds in South India are those in 

 Cochin Harbour and in Vembanad backwater in Travancore. In 

 both localities oysters are exceedingly numerous, the flesh finding 

 a ready sale among the lower classes. In the Vembanad villages 

 the flesh, called moringa iracha, is said to be regularly exposed for 

 sale in the fish markets. In Cochin it is not seen in the markets, 

 being hawked about the streets in small-mouthed chatties. The 

 beds in Cochin harbour chiefly lie within Cochin State limits and 

 the right to fish oysters is let annually by the Darbar for an 



