II.-NOTE ON PEARLS FROM 

 MYTILUS AND PLACUNA. 



In addition to the pearl oyster of the Gulf of Mannar, two 

 other pearl-producing moUusca {Mytilus smaragdinus and 

 Placuna placenta) are to be found in the Madras Presidency : 

 the former in the Sonnapore river in the Granjam district, 

 •where they are, or were till recently, the source of a local 

 industry ; the latter on salt mud flats and in canals in 

 various parts of the presidency, e.g.^ Pulicat Lake, the 

 Buckingham Canal, Tuticorin, &c. 



As regards the former {M. smaragdinus), samples of the 

 pearls were sent to Grovernment by Mr, R. Davison, when 

 Acting Collector of G-anjam in 1875, and examined by pearl 

 merchants, who reported that they were of very inferior 

 quality and of the description termed " rejected pearls " by 

 the trade, and valued a big discoloured pearl at Es. 1-8-0 

 and the whole sample at Rs. 7. The following extract is 

 taken from a letter to Government by Mr. Davison, who, as 

 the result of a visit to the mussel beds, which was resented 

 by the natives who were interested in keeping the habitat 

 of the mussels secret, suggested that, if taken in hand and 

 properly treated, the pearls might eventually become a fruit- 

 ful source of revenue : — 



"Sonnapore is a small fishing village situated near the 

 mouth of a river to which it gives its name, and which is about 

 12 miles south of Gopaulpore. For some miles up the river 

 there are large beds of the ordinary edible oysters, which fijid a 

 ready market at Berhampore and elsewhere. Mixed up with 

 the ordinary oysters, and adhering most tenaciously to their 

 beds, are the bright green mussels, from which the pearls are 

 produced. 



•' I had five canoes, with fotu' divers in each, at work, and the 

 place where we were most successful is situated about two 

 miles from the mouth of the river and about half a mile beyond 

 the custom house. Each diver brought with him a long bam- 

 boo pole, which he drove with all his might into the oyster 

 bed at a depth of from ten to twelve feet of water according to 

 the state of the tide. He then dived to the bottom, and holding 



