igO MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XI, 



held at the end of 19 17. The type collections have been specially in 

 demand for schools and were it convenient to supply larger numbers, there 

 would be little difficulty in finding purchasers. It is quite clear that as 

 zoological teaching and nature study extend in India, an increasing demand 

 is springing up for specimens such as this department has begun to supply. 

 Colleges in the north India continue to furnish the bulk of orders and it 

 would seem that students in the north have greater aptitude and preference 

 for zoology than those of the south. 



28. Research. — During the past year Bulletin No. XI was published. 

 The following marine reports appeared therein, viz. : — 



I. The Edible Molluscs of the Madras Presidency. 



II. A new protozoan cause of widespread mortality among marine 

 fishes. 



III. A statistical analysis of the Fishing Industry of Tuticorin. 



IV. The Indian beche-de-mer industry ; its history and recent 

 revival. 



29. These four papers totalled an aggregate of 150 pages of letterpress 

 and were illustrated with 38 original text figures. An investigation of 

 Indian boat designs, viewed both from the present day aspect and from 

 the wider standpoint of the ethnologist, has been completed, and will 

 probably be published by the Asiatic Society of Bengal as one of their 

 memoirs. A summary of the facts and a statement of the main conclusion 

 were read before the Ethnological section of the Indian Science Congress 

 in January of the present year. The outstanding deduction is contained 

 in the theory, based largely on widespread similarities in boat construction 

 and corroborated by certain affinities of physical characters among the 

 chief fisher caste of the extreme south, that there is a strong infusion of 

 Polynesian blood in the coast population of certain southern and western 

 districts in India. 



30. Investigations relating to the migrations of sardines, surface drift 

 in the Gulf of Mannar, the biological survey of Siluvathurai lagoon, now 

 turned in a fish-farm, and the details of the varied fishing methods 

 employed on the coast of India, engaged attention during the year and it 

 is hoped to publish some of the results at an early date. So far as possible 

 the aim is kept in view of putting upon permanent record all important 

 facts which are ascertained from time to time. One of the most regret- 

 table occurrence of life in India, is the frequent loss of valuable data through 

 the postponement or neglect of publication. The inevitable consequence 

 IB waste of valuable time in succeeding years, when other inquirers have 

 again to traverse unnecessarily the whole ground in the absence of sati^» 

 factory records, 



