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(3) Mother-of-pearl. — Apart from the possibility that 

 pearl oysters exist in paying quantities on the banks adjoining 

 And roth, Ameni and other islands and at the various " pars," 

 Bitra, Cherbaniani, Perumal and Byramgore pars and Kardamat 

 reef should be thoroughly inspected to determine whether green 

 snail ( Turbo sp.) and troeas {Trochus sp.) exist there in quantities 

 worth being exploited commercially. As already mentioned 

 sea- worn specimens of these shells are not rare at Chetlat and 

 Iviltan, and we were repeatedly informed that larger shells were 

 procurable at the u pars." Both shells are well known in the 

 pearl button trade and formed the bulk of the shell being cut 

 up in a large Japanese factory which I visited in 1907. It is 

 worthy of note that considerable quantities of both shells are 

 exported annually from the Mergui Archipelago off the Burma 

 coast. 



(4) The Be'che-de-mer industry already established in 

 Kiltan appears capable of considerable extension and improve- 

 ment. At present the methods of curing are the worst possible 

 and of a nature that reduces the value of the product to a 

 minimum. As it is now turned out, it is of the lowest grade 

 accepted by the Chinese. Improved methods must be intro- 

 duced and the curers advised how and where they may dispose 

 of their products to the best advantage. At present poor curing 

 and ignorance of the true value of that product result in the 

 curers parting with their goods at such low rates as provide in- 

 sufficient inducement to the islanders to prosecute the industry 

 with vigour. It is probable that Beche-de-mer exists in very- 

 great quantities at Cherbaniani and the other uninhabited 

 "pars " ; the extent of the available supply should be investi- 

 gated concurrently with instruction in improved methods of 

 curing and advice regarding disposal ; regulations should be 

 formulated to guard against depletion of supply. It should be 

 noted in this latter connection that Beche-de-mer, owing to its 

 sluggish habits and very circumscribed habitat in the case of 

 oceanic islands, will run great risk in the Laccadives of being 

 fished out if the industry be found profitable and if no 

 protective restrictions be imposed. Exactly what lines such 

 regulations should follow cannot satisfactorily be determined 

 without preliminary enquiries ; probably a minimum size would 

 be prescribed or a system of fishing the lagoons in rotation, 

 giving one or two years' rest to each in turn. 



(5) Turtle breeding. — Turtles are fairly abundant at 

 certain seasons and might well be bred and fattened with profit 

 in the lagoons of the inhabited islands. Turtle-breeding has 

 been found to pay well in other countries and few places can 



