222 



INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF OCEANOGRAPHY 



interest was taken in the study of the marine 

 fauna of India, as well as in the real oceano- 

 graphical work. The large number of mono- 

 graphs and reports published from the Indian 

 Museum on the marine animals shows the extent 

 of the faunistic work accomplished by the suc- 

 cessive Surgeon-Naturalists; while Lt. Col. R. B. S. 

 Sewell's oceanographic monographs in the 

 Memoirs of the Asiatic Society of Bengal reveal 

 extensive data collected over a number of years. 

 Though a certain amount of faunistic work has 

 been done by other individuals and institutions, 

 the real oceanographical work has been done by 

 the Surgeon-Naturalists on board the Investi- 

 gator. 



Since the establishment of the Zoological 

 Survey of India in 1916 attention, apart from the 

 work of successive Surgeon-Naturalists, has been 

 paid mainly to the freshwater and terrestrial 

 fauna of India. Dr. S. W. Kemp, however, made 

 large collections of marine animals in the 

 Andamans, and at Goa, Kilakarai, Madras, and 

 Vizagapatam in India. Other members of the 

 Survey have also made collections at Karachi, 

 Puri, Vizagapatam, Tuticorin, Krusadai, and the 

 Andamans. The results of these investigations 

 are embodied in a number of papers by several 

 authors. 



The late Dr. N. Annandale and Dr. S. W. Kemp 

 started observations on the peculiar fauna that 

 is found in the estuarinc and brackish waters 

 of India. As early as 1907, Annandale began to 

 describe the fauna of the brackish pools at Port 

 Canning. Kemp's account of the fauna of the 

 Matlah River is of special interest in this con- 

 nection. Both Annandale and Kemp made a 

 comprehen.sive survey of the Chilka Lake, a large 

 stretch of brackish water, and showed the adapta- 

 bility of animals to withstand a great variation 

 in the range of salinity. To compare his results 

 with other similar lakes in Asia, Annandale made 

 a tour of the Far East and studied the fauna and 

 the conditions governing animal life in Tale Sap, 

 Siam, Lake Biwa in Japan, and Lake Tai Hu in 

 China. Other members of the Zoological Survey 

 of India have .studied the fauna of the Salt Lakes, 

 Calcutta, and of the Cochin Backwaters with in- 

 teresting results. Most of the work of the Survey 

 is of a systematic nature, but extensive biological 

 and ecological observations were made in all cases, 

 though in no case were up-to-date limnological 



investigations carried out. Mention may also be 

 made of the valuable collections from the Sand- 

 heads received from the Pilot Service. 



Recently, valuable Trochus and Turbo beds 

 were found in the Andamans, and to establish 

 the fisheries on a proper scientific basis an officer 

 of the Zoological Survey has been put in charge of 

 these fisheries. Besides his usual work in con- 

 nection with the fisheries this officer and his 

 assistant make collections of the marine animals. 

 The results obtained so far have been extremely 

 valuable. 



For a number of years the Zoological Survey has 

 been feeling very keenly the necessity of a marine 

 biological station in Indian waters. Proposals 

 were submitted to the Government for establish- 

 ing a station at Port Blair in the Andamans, but 

 without any success. Later a station at Karachi 

 was suggested with a view to train young men from 

 the universities as well as to look after the coastal 

 fisheries, but the scheme is held up for financial 

 reasons. There is, however, a small marine 

 laboratory of the Madras Fisheries Department 

 at Krusadai and at present efforts are being made 

 to have a marine biological station at Bombay. 



Ennur Biological Station ('37) 



History or origin: Opened in 1921 by the Madras 

 Fisheries Department for the supply of biological 

 specimens to schools and colleges. 



Location: On the sea-front close to a back-water 

 about 18 miles north of Madras on the Madras 

 and Southern Maharatta Railway. 



Organization to lohich attached: Madras Fisheries 

 Department. 



Purpose: Supply of biological specimens to mu- 

 seums, colleges and schools, and aiding research 

 workers by procuring collections for them. 



Scope of activities: Preparation of museum exhibits, 

 collection tours. 



Equipment: 1 laboratory; 1 boat; edible oyster beds 

 in the Ennur back-water, in the Puhcat lake, 

 and at Gokulapalle. 



Staff: Technical: Mr. S. Ramaswami Ayyangar, 

 Research Assistant; Mr. B. Eraser, Laboratory 

 assistant. Maintenance: 1 fieldman. 



Provision for visiting investigators: Three seats. 



Income: Source: Sale of zoological specimens. 

 Amount: About Rs 2,000 annually. 



Provision for publication of results: In the publica- 

 tions of the Madras Fisheries Department. 



