No. 4 (1917) INDIAN BECHE-DE-MER 125 



Brandt. It is not so abundant as either the white or the black 

 species but is fairly common on weedy bottom in Rameswaram 

 bay. It has no present commercial value, owing to the gelatinous 

 nature of the body-wall, which dissolves into a glutinous mass 

 soon after death. 



Saville-Kent in TJtc Great Barrier Reef of Australia, page 239, 

 has suggested that this and other similar soft-bodied species might 

 possibly be susceptible of cure if placed in strong brine or other 

 astringent immediately after capture. Experiments have recently 

 been made in this direction at Rameswaram, and I am able to 

 report that I have found it possible to carry the material success- 

 fully through the boiling process. Unfortunately this does not 

 help, for the subsequent dryage reduces even large animals to 

 microscopic proportions. The final verdict . confirms the current 

 opinion that this species has no commercial value. Curiously 

 enough, the most valued of the Australian species of beche-de- 

 mer is the closely allied " red prickly-fish " (•S"//r//6>/'»5 variegatus, 

 Semper), with a market value that once varied between £130 to 

 £150 (Rs. 1,950 to Rs. 2,250) per ton. 



With the white beche-de-mer fished off the Ramnad coast are a 

 very few " red-fish " (Holot/mria spinifera, Theel). This is mixed 

 with the former in curing. Its quality and appearance are first- 

 class and were it obtainable in quantity and could be sold sepa- 

 rately, it would fetch a much higher price than the " white-fish." 



THE CHINESE CURE OF THE INDIAN WHITE 

 BECHE-DE-MER. 



For practical purposes Holothuria scabra, otherwise vollai attai 

 or white beche-de-mer, is the only Indian species that counts in 

 the eyes of the Chinese curers, as being both abundant and capable 

 of being converted into a satisfactory product. It appears however 

 not to be a species in any esteem in the Malay Archipelago where 

 it also occurs and where other species monopolise commercial 

 attention.^ The reason is that it requires special methods of cure 

 and these appear to have been evolved and practised only in India, 

 as already mentioned. This species has an enormous abundance 

 of limy spicules in its skin and unless these be removed the prod- 

 uct when dried appears as if caked with chalk ; indeed it is to all 



* It is not recorded by Saville-Kent in his list of Australian species unless it be his 

 Holothuria epulis. {Great Barrier Reef of Australia, London, 1893.) 



