Ko. I (191 7) EDIBLE MOLLUSCS I9 



highly as a source of high-class lime, particularly suitable for 

 white-washing purposes. 



On the east coast, the place of M. Ciista ovum is taken by the 

 type form oi Mcrctrix casta (Gmelin), a rather larger and stouter 

 shell of the same habits, known generally as niatti in Tamil districts. 

 Its valves are thick and massive, the exterior covered with a strongly 

 adherent brownish yellow periostracum, dull in appearance, that 

 varies much in tint even in one locality. A dark purplish black 

 band margins the posterior edges of the shell to a depth of about a 

 quarter of an inch, extending from the hinge to the posterior angle 

 of the shell ; unlike the yellowish colouring of the rest of the shell, 

 this purple pigment permeates the substance of the valves and 

 shows equally upon both the inner and the outer surface. The 

 shell exhibits none of the radial banding of the sub-species, nor 

 any of the diverse colour schemes of spots and chevrons so often 

 found on the umbones of M. mcrctrix. 



Although often very abundant it is generally less common than 

 the corresponding species on the west coast and is held in less 

 esteem by the people. It is however eagerly sought for wherever 

 it abounds. At Pulicat, for instance, as many as 30 women may 

 often be seen collecting this shellfish in the shallows opposite the 

 town. Unlike the custom in Malabar, men here seldom engage in 

 this work ; Pariah women and girls alone carry it on. They work for 

 preference during low tide when the depth of water is reduced over 

 the beds. From time to time as they gather the clams, they pile 

 them in heaps on an adjacent sandbank. When they judge it time 

 to drop fishing, they adjourn to the sandbank, and there proceed 

 to smash the clams one by one by striking them against a heavy 

 stone. As each is broken open they deftly extract the meat with a 

 push of the thumb, dropping it into a small earthen pot containing a 

 little water. In this way in a short time each woman has emptied 

 the whole of her catch, amounting to several hundreds. The broken 

 shells are left behind for the lessee who has bought the right to the 

 shells for lime-making, and who permits these women to collect 

 them on this condition. 



Women's wages at Pulicat average 2% to 3 annas per day and 

 the value of the catch of clams made in a day by one woman 

 working hard, is usually valued at this amount. The bulk of the 

 clam meat obtained is however generally used to supply the needs 

 of the woman's own family; if any surplus is left, it is often 



