Distrihition of Pearls and Pearl-shell. 93 



In European countries these concretions were formerly 

 used in tlie preparation of certain medicines.*^ 



Lil<e the pearl fisheries of southern India, those 

 situated off the nortli-west coast of Ceylon, in the Gulf 

 of Manaar, directly south of Adams Bridge, are of very 

 great antiquity. They are said to have been well-known 

 to the Phcenicians who traded here in purple robes 

 and other commodities."^ Pliny"" refers to Taprobane 

 (Ceylon) as the most productive of pearls of all parts of 

 the world. Ptolemy, Strabo, and other ancient writers 

 also speak of their importance. According to the 

 " Mahavansa," pearls figure among the native products 

 sent as presents from King Vigaya of Ceylon to his 

 Indian father-in-law, in about 550 B.C. ; and again when 

 in 306 B.C., King Devanampiyabissa sent an embassy to 

 India the presents are said to have included eight kinds of 

 Ceylon pearls.'' According to Tennent"" the eight kinds 

 of pearls were : " haya (the horse) ; gaja fthe elephant) ; 

 ratha (the chariot wheel); maalaka (the nelli fruit); 

 valaya (the bracelet) ; anguliwelahka (the ring) ; kakuda- 

 phala (the kabook fruit) ; and pakatika, the ordinary 

 description." 



The only other locality in Ceylon where pearls are 

 obtained is Tamblegam Lake, on the north-eastern coast, 

 near Trincomali. Here Placuna fishing is carried on for 

 the sake of the diininutive pearls contained in them. 

 These are exported to the coast of India, to be burned 

 into lime for mixing with betel for chewing. (Tennerit, 

 op. cit., ii,pp. 491-2.) 



" Jeffreys, " Brit. Concli." i. 1862, p. I.w. 



*° Streeter, op. cit., p. 186 ; TennenI, "Ceylon," London, 1859, 2nd 

 ed., vol. i., p. 551. 



"I' Pliny, "N.H.," bk. ix., ch. 54. 



*^ W. A. Herdman, " J<eport on the pearl oyster fisheries of Ceylon.'" 

 "Royal Society, London, pt. i., 1903 ; also Kunzand Stevenson, <)/>. «'/., p. 4. 

 <=>* Tennent, op. cit., i., p. 446. 



