Repoi'ts to the Colonial Office. 175 



obtained in Ceylon may be found to be of value from a commercial point 

 of view in Queensland or again in the West Indies (Sponge fisheries). 



I am decidedly of the opinion that the expenditure of a certain 

 proportion of the revenue derived from the Ceylon Pearl Fisheries, 

 upon thorough and authoritative study of the questions raised in Sir AV. 

 Twynam's report by the best scientific naturalists whose services can be 

 obtained must in the course of time— if persisted in and sufficiently 

 supported by mouey needed for experiments and investigation — produce 

 a valuable return to the State in the form of increase in commercial 

 results. 



A brief inspection of the banks by a capable scientific naturalist or the 

 employment of a second-rate man of no real scientific knowledge or 

 training would, in my judgment, be a waste of public money. 



I should myself like to see Professor Herdman, of Liverpool, entrusted 

 with a two or three years' mission in connection with the Ceylon Pearl 

 Fisheries. He has given special attention to oysters and oyster fisheries, 

 and is a man of genuine knowledge and also possessed of energy and 

 initiative. It would be possible for him to give three or four montlis in 

 each year to his professional work in England and to spend the rest of the 

 year (at the ])roper season) in Ceylon. 



I think that Sir W. Twynam's report might very well be submitted to 

 Professor Herdman for his opinion, and that before taking a definite step 

 it might be well to submit his proposals to the Council of the Royal 

 Society for their advice. But I should not recommend that either the 

 Zoological Society or the British Association be consulted. 



It is evident from Sir W. Twynam's report there are many matters 

 connected with the pearl banks upon which a competent naturalist versed 

 in marine biology could at once clear up doubt. For instance, the 

 mysterious enemy of the oysters mentioned in the report, which drills a 

 small round hole in their shells. Every marine biologist knows at once 

 that this must be one of the whelk-like gastropods, which preys upon the 

 pearl oyster as do its congeners in European seas prey upon European 

 oysters and comb-shells. 



Were a competent naturalist, such as Professor Herdman, entrusted 

 with a thorough study of the Ceylon pearl banks, and provided with a 

 well-fitted steam cruiser for dredging, sounding, diving, etc., there can be 

 no doubt that, in the first place, zoological results of great general interest 

 would be obtained, as well as collections of value to the national Museum, 

 and new facts of the most varied kind tending to advance our knowledge 

 of marine life. 



I believe, moreover, that in the second place such knowledge of the 

 facts would be definitely gained as would enable the Ceylon Government 

 to improve the pearl fisheries and to manage them in the best possible way 

 with a view to getting the proper commercial return from them. 



It is impossible to foretell what results a clever naturalist might 

 obtain. The artificial reanng of the spat of the jiearl oyster and the 

 nursing and transference of the young oysters as carried out in regard to 

 European oysters might be found possible and of immense commercial 

 value. Finally the artificial production of pearls is always, as far as 

 zoological science enables us to form an opinion, a possibility. Perhaps 

 I may, in conclusion, be allowed to point out that, some thirty-five years 



