27 



beds, especially those interspersed with many rocky 

 patches giving' foothold to luxuriant animal and plant life. 

 The less mixed the sands of the chank-bed are with 

 islands of coral and sponge life the less infected with 

 Clioiie are the shells. Again, on beds regularly fished 

 year after year the percentage of wormed shells is always 

 low, and the shells of regular size. On beds seldom 

 fished, the proportion of large and badly infected shells 

 is always very high, and remains so till a thorough 

 weeding out of the old shells has taken place. 



Tuticorin chanks are noted for their solidity, weight 

 and hardness. Samples of loo shells containing average 

 numbers of all sizes above 2f inches diameter have been 

 repeatedly weighed and in all cases the weight exceeded 

 90 lbs. per 100 shells, the actual average of all lots being 

 93 lbs. Shells between 2^ and 2^ inches diameter weigh 

 54 lbs. to the 100 shells. 



The chank godowns are large rooms divided into a 

 number of temporary divisions or bins to accommodate the 

 various- grades of shells. Cleaning is left to nature which 

 here takes the form of innumerable fly-maggots. These 

 eat out the contents of the shells, windows being 

 thoughtfully provided in the godowns for the entry of the 

 parent flies. The odour evolved from the heaps of shells 

 is twin to that of pearl-oysters when being " rotted ;" the 

 local golf links come within 100 yards of the godowns and 

 at one hole there is occasional complaint that the spicy 

 breeze is somewhat rank in flavour. 



Previous to 19 10, the season's catch was advertised 

 and sold yearly by tender to the highest bidder. In some 

 years (i885 to 1891) the shells were put up to public 

 auction, but this method led to abuse — the rich men 

 buying off competition — and the old system of calling for 

 offers by sealed tender was reverted to. 



In 19 10 a contract was made for a three -years term 

 with a Dacca firm of chank-merchants and as this 

 modification in the manner of disposing of the shells has 

 proved of advantage both to the buyers and to Govern- 

 ment, it is probable that, whenever possible, this system 

 will be followed in future. 



The form of advertisement used in calling for tenders 

 is given in the appendix. 



