36 



Corals were scarce. Occasionally locally-isolated colonies, usually small in size, 

 were found, nearly all being Pontes, Meandrina. and Astrseids. 



Still less common were Aleyonarians, represented by Sarcophyton sp. Vermetus 

 was common on the fragments of calcrete, and the lovely star-fish, Pentaccros b'ncki, 

 a known enemy of tbo pearl oyster, was present iu considerable numbers. Linckia 

 laevigata was also taken, with Anledon puloiata in crevices of the exposed rock. 

 Little or no algae was present. 



In our traverses zig-zag across the bank we several times passed beyond the margin 

 of the par on the westward side, finding there bare and barren sand with an occasional 

 chank (Turbinella rapa). 



After completing the day's work we anchored on the south end of the pdr in nine 

 fathoms, and within an hour the crew had caught 16 Kilati (Trigger- fishes, Balishs 

 mitis). Several were examined and in the stomachs of all were found fragments of 

 several kinds of shells, those of young pearl oysters predominating in many. 



The Parmandadai or " Eoek-pilot " who is taken out by the Inspector to help in 

 locating the banks informed me that this bank has always been noted for the great 

 abundance of Kilati ; one ballam usually brings back a catch of 100 fish from this 

 neighbourhood. 



During the day the current set strongly from the north, the steamer drifting 

 rapidly when not steaming. The temperature of the sea at 7 a.m. was 87° F. and at 

 5 p.m. 3S° F. The specific gravity was 1,022-80 at 7 a.m. 



The following morning, May 3rd, on heaving the anchor up, IS pearl oysters 

 approximately 6 weeks old, all being of the same size, were found attached to the 

 chain near the anchor end, each by several strands ol byssus. All were attached to 

 that part of the chain which would occasionally rest upon the ground — the last two 

 fathoms. It is noteworthy that none of the older sizes were found on the chain, 

 although varying ages were found on this spot. 



Uti Par Group. — This region comprising Uti, Nagara, TJduruvi, Kilati, Atu- 

 vaiarpagam and Pattarai Pars was next examined first by means of diving traverses 

 on May 4th and on the ensuing day by the method of circle inspection as used on the 

 Cevlon side and which is described in detail infra on page 75. 



The pars in this group are small and with advantage may be considered as one, 

 under the above title — Uti Par Group. The depth is less than the mean on the 

 Tolayiram, averaging here from 7 to 8| fathoms. 



In all, nearly 350 dives were made in the course of an examination by circle 

 inspection — a method described fully on page 74. 



The centre of the circle was fixed at a point which Captain Carlyon believed from 

 the bearings to lie just on the east margin of the Uti par, but that bank the par 

 mandadai said was really to the south-east. The results proved the latter to be right 

 and the Inspector to be wrong, a false position for the latter to occupy and one that 

 is due entirely to the fact that no shore marks are indicated on the chart in use. No 

 Inspector can be expected to do good work under present conditions. 



The matter presents no difficulties ; the landmarks, which consist of Hare Island 

 Lighthouse, the factory chimneys at Tuticorin and the beacon on Vantivu, are clearly 

 distinguishable from these banks, and I should think the Survey office could, from 

 the materials already available plot the position of the several objects with exactitude 

 and without further survey. 



The whole of the Uti pdr was gone over together with the southern portion of the 

 Nagara par, the result showing that but a few odd living oysters remain, aged from 

 2\ to 3 years old and all more or less over-grown with sponges and other growths, 

 In several cases the largest and most frequent of these crusting sponges, the brick-red 

 Otathria indica, completely enveloped the oysters, occupying the whole surface of both 

 -valves and rising in numerous bold upgrowths to a height of two and three inches. 



