90 
Bengal are distinguished and sold under a different 
series of trade terms. The range of these terms under- 
goes considerable reduction at this stage, as it is now 
only a matter of the quality of the working section or ring 
and not of size and'shape in addition to colour and quality 
as is the case with regard to the classification of shells. 
The grades of shell-sections recognized by bangle 
workers in outlying districts are usually five in number 
and are as follows :— 
First quality.— 77¢kattz.—The working sections sold 
under this title vary in price from Rs. 17 to Rs. 22 per 
100 pieces according to size and quality—the average 
working out at about 3 annas each. As is indicated by 
the name, these sections should be cut from Tuticorin 
shells of perfect quality. In actual practice, the highest 
quality of Rameswaram and a quantity of the best 
selected Ceylon shells from Neduntivu and Mannar are 
usually utilized for the production of Titkutti rings. 
These are usually bought on credit in Rs. 100 to Rs. 300 
lots. 
This particular quality is required almost exclusively 
for the manufacture of highly ornamented bangles of 
churi and bala descriptions as both these require to be 
highly polished and for this purpose the Tuticorin grade 
isthe one best adapted on account of its great hardness, 
fine grain and perfectly white colour. 
The second quality termed /adz, also hails from the 
Tuticorin and Rameswaram fisheries but is slightly 
inferior to the Titkutti grade which forms a “selected” 
grade. The inferiority of the Jadki grade is expressed 
usually in some slight defect in respect of colour or the 
presence of a wormhole. The price of working sections 
made from this quality is from Re. 1 to Rs. 2 per 100 
less than similar sized Titkutti ones. 
Patti is the third grade, priced from Rs. 2-8-0 to 
Rs. 3-8-0 per 100 sections less than those ofthe Titkatti 
grade. They are cut from good quality Jaffna shells. 
The large compound bangles so freely used by Santal 
women are made generally from this quality. 
The fourth grade, Do/a, is cut from dead shells 
imported from Ceylon. The price for useful sized 
sections ranges from Rs. 8 to Rs. 12 per 100 or from 
Rs. 5 to Rs. “6 per 100 less than for Padéz, 
