28 



MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN 



VOL. XI, 



purpose. The whole of the glandular tissue in the "tail" of the 

 mollusc is left within the shell. The part extracted is chiefly 

 muscular tissue and carries the large horny operculum. This meat, 

 called saiigu sathai (ff^din^ s^"?!"^), is collected in little palmyra leaf 



Fig. 12.— Taii Sacred Chank ( 7'iirbi>ieUa pyrum Linn.), x J. 



baskets and taken home as soon as the shells have been handed 

 over to the Government officers. In preparing it, the flesh is boiled, 

 cooled, and then, after pulling off the operculum, cut into thin 

 transverse slices which are sun-dried. In this condition they keep 

 indefinitely— hard and horny slices looking like very thin chipped 

 potatoes. In cooking, the slices are fried in ghee or gingelly oil. 

 The quantity consumed must be considerable, for at Tuticorin — 

 where alone a systematic use of the flesh is made — the number of 

 shells so treated amounts to an average of over 250,000 yearly. 

 The bulk of the flesh is consumed by the divers' own families ; any 

 surplus is readily saleable within the limits of the caste ; none i-"' 



