﻿52 
  THE 
  ZOOLOGIST. 
  

  

  as 
  a 
  glance 
  at 
  the 
  crowded 
  masses 
  of 
  minute 
  forms 
  on 
  the 
  rocks 
  

   show. 
  As 
  formerly 
  pointed 
  out 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Wilson 
  and 
  myself, 
  

   though 
  stunted 
  they 
  are 
  ripe, 
  and 
  it 
  may 
  be 
  the 
  same 
  explanation 
  

   will 
  suffice 
  for 
  the 
  pearls, 
  which 
  occurred 
  in 
  25 
  per 
  cent, 
  of 
  them. 
  

   It 
  will 
  thus 
  be 
  evident 
  that 
  pearls 
  appear 
  in 
  the 
  Common 
  Mussel 
  

   as 
  frequently 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  Pearl-Oyster, 
  and 
  more 
  frequently, 
  as 
  a 
  

   rule, 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  fresh- 
  water 
  Pearl 
  -Mussel, 
  but 
  generally 
  their 
  

   lack 
  of 
  lustre 
  and 
  beauty 
  makes 
  them 
  of 
  little 
  value. 
  

  

  In 
  connection 
  with 
  Dr. 
  Lyster 
  Jameson's 
  views 
  that 
  the 
  

   Eider-Duck 
  and 
  the 
  Scoter 
  are 
  the 
  final 
  hosts 
  of 
  the 
  parasites 
  

   which 
  form 
  the 
  nuclei 
  of 
  the 
  pearls 
  in 
  the 
  Common 
  Mussel, 
  it 
  

   may 
  be 
  stated 
  that 
  both 
  occur 
  in 
  the 
  estuary 
  of 
  the 
  Eden, 
  and 
  

   feed 
  on 
  the 
  Mussels. 
  It 
  is 
  possible 
  also 
  that 
  other 
  species 
  

   amongst 
  the 
  many 
  birds 
  frequenting 
  the 
  Mussel-beds, 
  such 
  as 
  

   the 
  Oystercatcher, 
  may 
  be 
  found 
  to 
  harbour 
  the 
  same 
  parasite. 
  

  

  In 
  relation 
  to 
  the 
  statement 
  of 
  Sir 
  E. 
  Home 
  — 
  that 
  the 
  ova 
  of 
  

   the 
  Mussel 
  form 
  the 
  nuclei 
  of 
  the 
  pearls 
  in 
  the 
  mantle 
  — 
  is 
  the 
  

   fact 
  that 
  pearls 
  are 
  found 
  in 
  the 
  males, 
  where 
  no 
  eggs 
  are, 
  as 
  

   well 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  females. 
  

  

  Mode 
  of 
  Capture. 
  — 
  Marine 
  pearls, 
  whether 
  from 
  the 
  true 
  

   Pearl-Oyster 
  or 
  the 
  larger 
  bivalve 
  pearl-shells, 
  are 
  procured 
  by 
  

   diving, 
  since 
  the 
  shell-fishes 
  inhabit 
  water 
  of 
  some 
  depth.* 
  Each 
  

   boat 
  has 
  relays 
  of 
  men, 
  so 
  that 
  as 
  little 
  time 
  as 
  possible 
  is 
  lost 
  

   during 
  the 
  season, 
  which 
  is 
  regulated 
  in 
  most 
  places 
  by 
  statute, 
  

   so 
  as 
  to 
  prevent 
  impoverishment 
  of 
  the 
  beds. 
  In 
  general, 
  a 
  rest 
  

   of 
  four 
  years 
  is 
  given 
  for 
  each 
  bed 
  in 
  Ceylon. 
  Many 
  descriptions 
  

   of 
  the 
  fishery 
  in 
  Ceylon 
  have 
  been 
  given, 
  such 
  as 
  those 
  of 
  

   Albrecht 
  Heerport 
  in 
  1666, 
  Mr. 
  le 
  Beck 
  in 
  1797, 
  and 
  Mr. 
  Per- 
  

   cival 
  in 
  1803. 
  The 
  account 
  of 
  Mr. 
  le 
  Beck 
  of 
  the 
  fishery 
  in 
  one 
  

   of 
  the 
  most 
  productive 
  seasons 
  in 
  the 
  Gulf 
  of 
  Manaar, 
  in 
  Ceylon, 
  

   is 
  of 
  special 
  interest.! 
  The 
  fishing 
  commences 
  in 
  February, 
  and 
  

   is 
  carried 
  on 
  for 
  a 
  period 
  of 
  thirty 
  days, 
  according 
  to 
  agreement. 
  

   His 
  graphic 
  description 
  of 
  the 
  transformation 
  of 
  the 
  barren 
  

   region 
  of 
  Condatchy 
  — 
  usually 
  so 
  quiet 
  — 
  into 
  a 
  bustling 
  place, 
  

   where 
  thousands 
  of 
  people 
  of 
  different 
  colours, 
  countries, 
  and 
  

   occupations 
  congregate, 
  the 
  tents 
  and 
  huts 
  on 
  the 
  seashore 
  with 
  

  

  * 
  From 
  Prof. 
  Herdman's 
  observations 
  the 
  usual 
  depths 
  appear 
  to 
  range 
  

   between 
  four 
  and 
  fourteen 
  fathoms. 
  Op. 
  cit. 
  

  

  | 
  ' 
  Asiatic 
  Researches,' 
  or 
  'Transactions 
  of 
  the 
  Bengal 
  Society,' 
  1799. 
  

  

  