40 SPOLIA ZKVLAXTCA. 



statistical information, which is so freely forthcoming from the Man- 

 nar fishing grounds , is utterly wanting at Tarablegam, a somewhat 

 unfortunate deficiency, where everything depends upon numbers. 

 At the same time it is not easy to find a remedy except by the 

 co-operation of the contractors. 



Examination of the recent shell-heaps at different points of tlie 

 shore showed that not less than 50 per cent, were undersized. For 

 instance, tlie measurements of the heights of 10 entire left valves 

 gathered at random from one pile were 4, 4|^, 3|, 5^, 4|, 4^, 5|., 

 4|, 5, 4^ inches. Evidently an undersized brood had been fished, 

 perhaps during the previous year, and it is hard to believe that the 

 collection can have brought any return wortli naming. 



I am informed by one of the contractors that during the fishing 

 season of 1907 ten boats were engaged for four or five days only 

 collecting daily 300-400 oysters each ; then for about six weeks four 

 boats were employed daily. The season's catch yielded forty-six 

 rupees weight of pearls worth six hundred and ninety rupees, 

 one rupee's weight of placuna pearls being valued at fifteen 

 rupees.* 



The topography of the lake and the position of the principal 

 placuna beds were described and illustrated by Mr. Hornell (1905), 

 so that I can proceed at once to record my notes for the present year 

 in the month of June. At this time the salinity of the water, as 

 ascertained from a sample from Nachchikuda, was approximately the 

 same as that of the sea, a ship's salinometer showing a reading of 12, 

 as against 10 in the Sambore backwater. 



Station I. — In the mouth of the inlet called Nachchikkuda, about 

 midway between the hill on the east side called Makilankaraimalai 

 (exposing a broad front of rugged weathered rock surfaces) and 

 Vellaikkallumunai (white stone point) to the west ; depth about 

 two fathoms. This station lies to the south-east of the coconut 

 planted village of Sinnakkulam. Three divers in fifteen minutes 

 brought up ten large living oysters and a dead one overgrown 

 with hydroids (Obelia). No window-pane oysters were recorded at 

 this spot by Mr. Hornell in 1905. In this material I noted two 

 single endogenous larvae. In most of the individuals patent cysts, 

 visible without magnification, occurred in the anterior portion of 



* In a statement submitted by the principal lessee, Mr. Abdul Rasool to 

 the Assistant Government Agent and self at the Trincomalee Kachcheri in 

 October, it is certified that this quantity of pearls was obtained from 627,672 

 window-pane oysters fished and opened during 125 days by 23 men. The 

 number of oysters can be stated with such precision, because a payment of 

 25 cents per thousand is made for opening them. The actual yield was 

 indeed greatly below what was anticipated from the examination at the 

 Kachcheri in February, 1906, of a sample of 2,000 oysters, in accordance 

 with a recommendation made by Mr. Hornell. Tlie pearls procured from 

 this sample were valued at six rupees. 



