suspended temporarily during February and March. Low salinity 

 continued for an unduly long period after the floods subsided and 

 indicates that a backwater with a relatively small area is preferable 

 for oyster culture to one of much greater extent whenever the sea- 

 mouth of the latter is restricted in size. 



Prospects for the coming year are again good, but pending the 

 erection of the proposed Biological Station and A(|uarium at Madras 

 and the provision therein of conditioning tanks for oysters, no great 

 extension of sales can be hoped for, as recent railway time-table 

 rearrangements have been retrograde in regard to the Ennore service, 

 entailing serious distribution difficulties. 



23. Othe7^ work. — -This heading comprises a great 

 deal of work of which the main items are reported on by 

 Mr. Hornell as follows: — 



" Ttcfuiical instruction in fishery science. — Two students sent by the 

 Baroda and Travancore Governments were given courses of practical 

 instruction. They are now employed by their respective Govern- 

 ments as fishery experts and I continue to give them advice unofficially 

 from time to time. 



" The supply of biological specimens to educational and scientific 

 institutions was commenced ; specimens were sent to the Cochin 

 Museum, the Oceanographic Museum at Monaco, the Christian 

 College, Madras, and others. Considerable extension of this section 

 is expected in 1915-16. The sum of Rs. 56-13-0 was received for 

 the specimens supplied and was duly paid into the treasury. 



" Current and drift investigations were continued ; 2,850 bottles 

 were liberated ; sufficient results have now been obtained to permit of 

 deductions being made. A report is in preparation. 



" Statistics of the Tuticorin fishing industry have been tabulated 

 in great detail for the past 3I years. These comparative statistics 

 exhibit clearly the large monetary value of tlie industry and the fluc- 

 tuations due to seasonal changes ; they also throw a flood of new 

 light on the seasonal abundance of the principal food fishes on the 

 east coast and their relative importance. 



" Sardine investigatioti was continued with a view to determine 

 the factors governing sardine abundance in inshore waters and other 

 vitally important facts in their habits and life history. Work to this 

 end was carried on at Tuticorin, Cannanore and Beypore. 



" The economic position of tJie fishing population in Tinnevelly 

 and Ramniid districts received attention and proposals have been 

 made to assist them by means of loans to buy boats and gear. Fur- 

 ther information has recently been obtained pointing to the urgent 

 need for assistance if development is to proceed satisfactorily. 



" Mechanical chank fishing. — As experiments in dredging and 

 trawling chanks have not proved satisfactory, attention was given 

 during the year to the possibility of designing a simple form of sub- 

 marine boat to be used in fishing chanks and pearl oysters. Success 

 depends upon the evolution of a sufficiently simple and inexpensive 

 design. 



" Beche-de-mer fishery, — Several of the species of Holothuria 

 (Sea-cucumbers) best esteemed by the Chinese in the preparation of 



