119 



my inspection by the headman of the island. These consist 

 of— 



(a) the vicha vala or casting net, 



(b) koru vala used in conjunction with scare lines or ola 

 vala, 



(c) fish-traps of two sizes, 



(d) harpoons and Poe-min for large fishes, 



(e) the Chellal or " grains " for catching flying-fish, 



(/) hooks and lines of different sizes, worked and fitted 

 after the fashion of the " paternosters " of home fishing. 



127. The vicha vala used in Androth is made of two ply 

 cotton with large mesh (2£ inch) armed around the margin 

 with beautifully formed crescent- shaped lead sinkers threaded 

 in three places. 



Fig. 25. 



Lead sinker of vicha vala. 



Actual size. 



The net is 2 fathoms long (radius) when stretched out. It is 

 used only from the shore or from the reef ; on the evening of our 

 arrival we saw a number of men using it as they waded along 

 the inner margin of the reef. No closing cords are used. 



128. The koru vala is a fine-meshed cotton net (f inch mesh) 

 almost square, being 2 fathoms long by the same deep. The 

 head rope carries 13 wooden floats strung on, while through 

 the meshes of each end a running cord is arranged with a loop 

 at each extremity. When being prepared for use the depth 

 of each end is reduced to half by means of the running cords, 

 the surplus length of cord being secured at the middle by a 

 temporary knot. Four men are required to operate it, one at 

 each end and two to swing in the two scare lines. Each of the 

 men holding the net slips the upper loop of the running cord 

 of his end over one wrist, with the other hand holding the 

 lower loop and one end of an ola scare-line. Two of these are 

 used, one man to each free end. As soon as the net is set these 

 latter men swing in from each side upon the net shaking the 

 olas the while to drive the fish into the net. The koru vala 

 appears to be a primitive form of the siru valai of Pulicat Lake. 



17 



