176 ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PEARL OYSTER OF CEYLOX. 



five hours. It is therefore more than probable, that young oysters 

 detached from the old ones during a fishery, if properly cared for and 

 translated to some favourable parts of the sea, will live and grow to 

 perfection. But to do this satisfactorily, there must be some well organised 

 system adopted in future. It was lamentable to see the myriads of young 

 oysters committed to almost certain destruction by the divers throwing 

 them overboard immediately under the boats, and in the very places where 

 the diving stones were crushing and bruising the delicate creatures. On 

 my representing the matter to his Excellency the Governor and to Mr. 

 Tane, the divers were ordered to desist from this cruel and destructive 

 practice, and to collect the young oysters (of which I should say that there 

 were more than two millions brought up daihy from the Cheval Paar banks), 

 and after the day's fishing to deposit them in a part of the sea (previously 

 buoyed out by the inspector), as the boats were leaving the banks. From 

 the want of proper officers to see this order carried out, I fear many 

 hundreds of young oysters met with an untimely end. To avoid this 

 in future, I would suggest, that every preparation be made beforehand, for 

 the safe removal of the young oysters, whenever they are found to be 

 attached to old ones brought up by the divers. Let each diving boat be 

 provided with a large basket suspended in the sea from the side or stern of 

 the boat, and let strict injunctions be given, and the divers compelled, care- 

 fully to remove the young oysters from the old, and place them in these 

 baskets, which can be emptied into any part of the sea previously selected 

 by the inspector. Or let boats be employed during the diving to collect 

 the oysters for deposit elsewhere. 



For the better security of these young oysters let the part selected for 

 the formation of a new bed be surrounded with coir matted fascines, and 

 let the part so selected be ascertained to have a large quantity of coral and 

 dead shells, that the young oysters may not be forced away from the spot 

 owing to the want of holding ground. 



In conclusion, I beg to observe, that although my plans may appear 

 chimerical, especially the one of girdling or barricading banks in six or 

 seven fathoms of water, it will not appear to be so impracticable, if the 

 service of the English divers now in the island are made available for the 

 purpose. Nothing of this kind should seem impossible to a nation that can 

 lay down wire cables across the Atlantic or in the beds of the Eed Sea and 

 Persian Gulf. The expense likely to be incurred is very trifling, compared 

 with the value of the oysters that may be preserved. The present market 

 value of a bed of pearl oysters, two miles in circumstance is, say, from £30,000 

 to £40,000 and the expense of fencing a bed of this size cannot be more 

 than £200, or say £300. If, then, the experiment I have proposed should 

 prove successful, such an outlay is too small to deter any Government 

 from undertaking the work on a greater scale. I hope that the presence 

 of young oysters in such large quantities on the pearl banks of Arripo will 

 not make the Government less anxious about the better conservation of 

 the banks. Who can tell what may happen during the next four or five 



