50 OKHAMANDAL MARINE ZOOLOGY REPORT 



fishery for window-pane oysters in the Ceylon Government, and giving powers to the 

 authorities to make regulations for a close season, a minimum size limit, and other 

 protective and cultural measures which may be considered desirable from time to time. 



The lease of the beds at Tampalakam was next advertised, and was taken up in 

 December, 1906, by a native syndicate at an aggregete rental of Es. 17,700 for a term 

 of five years from January, 1907. Among the stipulations were (a) a minimum size of 

 five and a half inches in shortest diameter of the shells, and (6) a close season 

 extending from May 15th to the end of December in each year. The results of the 

 first year's fishery proved a dismal failure, largely owing to previous extensive poaching. 

 The total of oysters fished is stated by the lessees at 627,672, the number being known 

 with exactitude, as a payment of 25 cents (.= fourpence) per thousand is made for 

 opening them. From this quantity the lessees declare they obtained but forty-six 

 rupees weight (say 46 tolas) of pearls, worth about Rs. 690, or one rupee ten cents (say 

 one shilling and sixpence) per 1 ,000 oysters ! ^ 



The seed-pearl fishery in North Bornean waters is less well-known than either of 

 the preceding. It also is owned by the Government, but in spite of being situated in 

 a wild region, where civilisation has but recently appeared in the persons of a handful 

 of European officials, it appears to be under more efiicient regulation, and to promise 

 a more continued prosperity than in the case of Ceylon and Sind. 



The principal banks of window-pane oysters occur there in Labuk Bay, and are 

 largely fished from Tetabuan, a village inhabited by Bajaus, a Malay tribe that till 

 recent years lived largely on the spoils of piracy eked out with desultory fishing. 

 To-day the Pax Britannica compels a steadier Hfe, and accordingly the Bajau has 

 turned fisherman in earnest. He is skilful at his calling, and being a fairly good diver 

 as well, he is able to take toll from the beds of Placuna placenta that exist literally at 

 his door — his dwelling is on piles on the margin of mangrove swamps. 



The Tetabuan fishery is carefully regulated with the co-operation of the village 

 chief. No shell is allowed to be fished under four inches in diameter, and no one is 

 allowed to search for shells without a licence. 



From time to time, as the oysters mature, certain of the banks are opened to 

 fishing. At such times the boundaries of the bed are marked out by flags, and the 

 village chief superintends operations, seeing that neither immature oysters be fished, 

 nor unlicensed divers be present. As in Ceylon, the water over the Tetabuan beds is 

 quite shallow— eight to nine feet. Diving requires no apparatus save a rattan basket 

 wherein to place the shells. 



On return from the banks the women and children take charge of the oysters. 

 First of all the shells are opened and the contents thrown into a large iron pan of 

 water. When filled the pan is put on the fire and slowly heated, but not to boiling 



1 Dr. A. Willey, " Report on the Window-pane Oysters {Placuna placenta) in the backwaters of 

 the Eastern Province," Spolia Zeylanica, vol. v., pt. xviii., Colombo, 1907. 



