[ vii 1 



transplanted there from the Periya Paar "at the earliest opportunity ;m<l in sufficient 

 quantities." 



Following upon that recommendation, Mr. HORNELL was authorised by the Ceylon 

 Government to make preparations for transplanting young oysters in quantity from 

 the Periya Paar to the Cheval Paar in November, 1904, should it still be found 

 necessary. This was the only wise course to take. A great part of the Cheval Paar 

 was denuded, and there was no certainty that a fresh fall of spat would occur. 



It is essential that the Inspector of the Pearl Banks should have the power, and 

 the means, of ordering transplantation to be carried out whenever it may be requiinl. 

 In the present instance, however, the necessity has been obviated. In the late 

 summer, or early autumn, an abundant deposit of spat has fallen over the greater 

 part of the Cheval Paar, clothing the barren sandy wastes and covering the patches 

 of old oysters and the rock alike, so that they are said to be indistinguishable to the 

 diver. These young oysters, now about 4 months old, cover an enormous area, 

 and must be present (judging from the samples examined) in numbers that run to 

 thousands of millions. No doubt the vast majority of them will die off from natural 

 causes during the next few years, but a fair proportion should remain to yield 

 fisheries in 1908 and succeeding years. In the meantime, the barren areas of the 

 Cheval Paar denuded by the two last fisheries are once more occupied. Transplanting 

 is, for the moment, unnecessary, but cultching of some parts of the ground is urgently 

 required. The position of affairs and the work necessary to improve the condition of 

 the banks are fully discussed in the articles that follow. 



The other change in conditions which has to be announced is that, of the various 

 beds of adult oysters on the Cheval and Modragam paars, some are now dying off, or 

 will probably do so during the coming year, while others are apparently healthy and 

 undiminished. Under these circumstances certain beds (detailed in the article on the 

 Present Condition of the Pearl Banks, p. 44) are clearly indicated for fishing first, and 

 fortunately there seem to be sufficient adult oysters in sight to yield at least two and 

 possibly three successive good fisheries. But, although the prospects are so good, it 

 is the Biologist's duty to point out that now when there are so many beds of oysters 

 of different ages living together on the Banks is especially the time when vigilance 

 and effort must on no account be relaxed, when inspections must be frequent and 

 complete and the scientific examination of sample oysters must be thorough, when 

 cultching of sandy ground must be extensively undertaken, when thinning out of 

 overcrowded beds should be carried out, and when the Inspector should be authorised 

 to dredge up and transplant young oysters whenever it may seem desirable. 



Next after the healthy development of beds of oysters comes the question of 

 infection with the parasites necessary for pearl production. In the preface to 

 Part II. the further work that lay before us in tracing the Fish^-host upon which this 

 infection must depend was pointed out, and Mr. HORNELL has continued to take 

 every opportunity to get information and specimens bearing on the matter. Since 



