48 



MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN 



VOL. XL 



No one eats Pinna on the Indian coasts, but in China it is in 

 great demand, and in Japan large quantities of the great adductor 

 muscles, circular discs of white flesh measuring l^ to 1% inch in 

 diameter, are cut out and dried for export to China, in the same 

 manner as they treat the foot of Haliotis (the abaloiic of the Cali- 

 fornian coast). 



Razor-shells (Solenidae). 



Tamil — Pid dkkii {lj'sv ^s(&,). 



In shallow sandy bays, several species of Razor-shell are 

 common but the size is much smaller than the average attained 

 by British species. They are long scabbard-shaped shells living 

 buried upright just beneath the surface. In most countries they 

 are highly esteemed as a tasty marine delicacy, but no one collects 

 them in India, as no demand exists. 



Ark-shells other than Arca granosa. 



Besides Area granosa, there are two other related forms which 

 though not used at present, are potential sources of food supply. 



Fu;. 



-The TWISTED ARK-.siir:i,i,. (/'. loiiuiii,') X 



They are the hairy ark-shell (Barbatia harbata) and the twisted ark- 

 shell, Parallelopipcdnm tortiini, so called because whilst the opposite 

 sides are roughly parallel, none of the angles are right angles. 

 Both of these are fairly numerous in certain parts of Palk Bay and 

 were shellfish more widely appreciated by our Indian populations 

 they would find their place in the market supply. 



The habitat of both is between the 4^ and 6 fathom lines on a 

 bottom of dirty muddy sand. They do not form continuous beds 

 but occur scattered singly over large areas. Their shells often 

 give foothold to pearl oysters on the banks north-cast of Tondi. 



