20 



MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XI, 



exchanged for paddy, bulk for bulk, 1 am informed. At times 

 when specially large quantities are obtainable, the surplus flesh is 

 sundried to serve as stock for use during the rainy season when the 

 collection of clams is interrupted owing to increase in the depth of 

 water over the beds. 



Pariahs and Pallans and some of the Muhammadans and 

 Christians of coast hamlets are the only people who eat these 

 clams in Tamil districts. 



On the east coast, spawning appears to take place twice in 

 each year, the first during April and May, the second about Sep- 

 tember. The busiest fishing season at Pulicat and the neighbour- 

 hood is the hot dry season from June to August when the level of 

 the backwaters and canals becomes much reduced, facilitating 

 greatly the work of collection. At this season the condition of 

 these clams is at its best, the bodies fat and swollen with repro- 

 ductive products. 



The Great Clam— Meretrix meretrix (Linn.). 



Tamil — Panjamatti {udr^s^miLu^), Tuticorin. 



This is a nearly related species to the common matti (M. casta). 



It is distinguished by its greatei size and by the smoothness and 



delicacy of the periostracum covering the valves. Its average size 



when adult ranges between 74x60 mm. and 75"x62"5 mm. with a 



weight (empty) of about 3^ ounces. So long as the periostracum is 



intact the valves have a beautifully polished appearance due to the 



smoothness of this membrane, which is thin, delicate, and either 



grey or a pale straw colour in tint. Along the postero-dorsal 



margin of the shell there is a dark band of greyish blue in some 



and bluish brown in others; this colouring occupies precisely the 



same region as in the common clam (M. casta). This is a very 



beautiful shell and the pity is that it is not more abundant. I 



have found it in the Silavathurai fish-farm at Tuticorin, in the 



seaward part of Pulicat Lake, and in a sub-fossil condition at Surla 



in Ganjam district. At Tuticorin it is fairly abundant, as a woman 



can easily collect from 30 to 40 in a tide. These clams are esteemed 



as food by the Valayans and Pallans who collect them and who 



use the empty shells for lime-burning. The flesh is considered less 



delicate than that of the common clam ; the species seems less 



hardy ; as a consequence its distribution is more local and 



