Ceylon Pearl Fisheries. 205 



order to secure an increase to their yearly revenue, 

 had opened the fishery before the oysters were of 

 mature age. The result of this short sightedness 

 was that the Pearls found were of smaller size and 

 less in number than would probably have been the 

 case had the fishery been longer delayed. Of this 

 there was unmistakeable proof in the opinion of 

 native experts, inasmuch as very many of the 

 shells contained large unformed Pearls, which, if 

 longer time had been given, would probably have 

 developed into valuable and perfect gems, but which 

 in their immature state were useless. Some two 

 or three hundred of these shells had as many as 

 from twenty to thirty massed together, but most 

 of these were imperfectly formed and useless for 

 ornamentation. 



It is held by some authorities that when oysters 

 are left in a decaying condition, the skin of the 

 Pearl is seriously impaired. This is so in the 

 Australian fisheries, but was certainly not the case 

 in Ceylon, for experience has shewn that equally 

 good Pearls have been found in the shells which 

 have been immediately washed while the oyster is 

 alive, and in those which have been buried for weeks, 

 and generated larvae. 



Whilst the early washing of the oysters just 

 described was proceeding, the four cases already 



