28 



shells, of which the net value to Govet'nmetit was 

 Rs. 1,530, which would otherwise have remained 

 unfished ; hence she paid half her capital cost in three 

 months and greatly assisted as well as profited the 

 divers. As a result of circulars, etc., by Mr. Hornell, 

 issued to the trade in Calcutta, etc., during the year, 

 greatly enhanced prices were obtained at the recent sale 

 of the shells, viz., Rs. 121 odd per i.ooo shells above 2^ 

 inches in diameter, so that the gross proceeds for 338,661 

 shells of all sizes were Rs. 37,217, and net Rs. 26,924, 

 being the best for many years ; these figures are given 

 here as being the result of the work of the year under 

 report, for which full details will be found in the special 

 report which accompanies this general one. 



22. Inland. — The work of Mr. Wilson, Piscicultural 

 Expert, has been mentioned above, but apart from the 

 trout hatchery which is under ihe Collector of the 

 Nilgiris, the first piscicultural work placed in operation 

 in inland waters was begun during the year, viz., the 

 hilsa hatchery at the Lower Anicut leased fishery on the 

 Coleroon. This was mentioned as a suggestion in 

 paragraph 25 of my last year's report, and was sanctioned 

 by Government in G.Os. No. 12 19, Revenue, dated 5th 

 May 1909, and No. 2231, Revenue, dated 13th August 

 1909 ; work was completed in August, the hatchery 

 being placed at the Public Works bungalow at the Lower 

 Anicut ; the plant consisted of the usual water tanks, a 

 battery of Macdonald hatching jars obtained from 

 America by the courtesy of the United States of America 

 Fishery Commission, and accessories. Mr. Wilson 

 arranged with fishermen for a supply of ripe ova, which 

 were fertilised, hatched out in the jars, and passed thence 

 into the reception tanks. The high temperature (80° F.) 

 of the water at the hatching point, which was a verandah 

 of the bungalow, proved a difficulty, so that it was 

 necessary to put the fry out into a sheltered and reedy 

 spot in the river almost as soon as they were hatched. 

 Being the first of a series of hatchino's and conducted 

 under previously unknown conditions, nothing can yet 

 be predicted as to results in increasing the hilsa supply ; 

 it is however now ascertained (i) that hilsa can be 

 successfully hatched artificially in large quantities, (2) 

 that the period of incubation is on and from the third 

 day at a temperature of about 80° F". ; probably this is 



