6 MADRAS FISHERIES BL'LLETIN VOL. XI. 



The flesh is highly esteemed and is eaten by Muhammadans and 

 Christians and by all Hindu castes inferior to the Nayars; in Malabar 

 I understand however that even the last named consider mussels as 

 a delicacy, although those of Travancore will not partake of them. 

 Kitchen-middens composed largely of these shells, are often to be 

 seen near huts as the train passes along the coast line between 

 Calicut and Cannanore. 



As the higher range of these mussels extends just above the 

 low water level of spring tides, the greater quantity is got by collec- 

 tion from rocks exposed or awash at spring tides ; a considerable 

 number is however obtained from deeper water by divers. Both at 

 Cannanore and at Tellicherry there are a few Mappillas who prose- 

 cute this industry for a few months in the year. The diver carries 

 with him a coir bag and a bamboo stick sharpened at each end. 

 With the latter he separates the mussels from the rocks and then 

 brings them to the surface in the bag. They are fished only during 

 the dry months from December to May by which time they have 

 attained edible dimensions. During the south-west monsoon it is 

 impossible to gather any owing to the violence of the sea and for a 

 few months thereafter they are too small in size to be worth taking. 



Cannanore, Tellicherry and Mahe are the only towns in Malabar 

 where mussels are exposed for sale in the public markets. About 

 half a dozen basketsful may be sold per day during the season. 

 The demand is particularly active when fish is scarce and dear_ 

 In Calicut, Beypore, Badagara and some other large towns they are 

 occasionally hawked through the streets. In other places there is 

 no regular trade ; the fisherfolk and other coast people living in 

 the neighbourhood of mussel rocks, gather supplies at low tide for 

 their own use and sometimes sell any surplus they have. A basket- 

 ful weighing from 40 to 50 lb. fetches from 8 to 12 annas. The 

 retail price when fish is scarce and mussels are in good demand in 

 consequence, runs to about 30 to 40 for one anna. 



Methods of Cooking. — In Malabar cuisine mussels are usually 

 either made into curries or else are fried. In both cases the shells 

 are first boiled just long enough to cause the valves to open, when 

 the flesh is extracted and washed, and either cooked with curry 

 stuff or fried in coconut oil after rolling in a curry batter, called 

 massala paste. 



Among the Mappillas a much more refined method prevails. 

 After removing the flesh from the shells, each body is stuffed with 



