39 



The landmarks for the Karuwal Par region are excellent. To the south 

 Manapad lighthouse is conspicuous, due east is the lofty piJe of Trichendur 

 Pagoda while to the north-west is the white mosque near Kayalpattanam village and a 

 Casuarina tope to the south of Pinnacoil, to say nothing of a white gabled Eomau 

 Catholic Chapel at or adjacent to Kayalpattanam point. Unfortunately the three 

 latter are not marked upon the chart and as the Inspector was uncertain as to whether 

 the tope is on an island or on the mainland and as to the exact relative positions of 

 the chapel and the point named, the difficulties which I experienced in localizing the 

 boundaries and positions of the pars were great and distracting. 



Prom what I have seen already and from the silent evidence afforded by the 

 charts on which the marks are either not placed or are indicated vaguely and without 

 precision I am convinced that the work of inspection for years past has been carried 

 out without that scrupulous exactitude necessary to obtain satisfactory and reliable 

 results. 



Inner Kttdahuttu Par Group. — This group, consisting of the Saith Kudamuttu, 

 Kudamuttu, Rajavukku Sippi Sotiehcha, Sandamaran Piditta, Pinnacoil Seltan and a 

 few other small pars was examined on May 6th, the steamer accompanied by the four 

 inspection boats, two on either side proceeding slowly from one end to the other, the 

 divers descending to the bottom at regular intervals. 



The ground upon the pars appeared less favourable to the maturing of pearl 

 oysters than that of the Karuwal group. Competing organisms were in greater 

 numbers and more luxuriant in growth ; the banks were typically " dirty ", using the 

 term in the oysterman's sense of being pre-occupied by organisms, sponges especially, 

 which give no opportunity to the well-being of oyster spat settling thereon. 



A few old oysters apparently 2 to 2| years old were found, less than half a dozen 

 in number, together with some of a younger generation, 9 to 1 months old. The 

 majority of both ages were, as usual, densely covered with sponge growth (Olaihria 

 indica). Dead shells of the younger generation were in quantity in some places. 

 Death in many eases had been recent and the majority of these showed distinct signs 

 of having been bitten, pieces having been snipped out of the ventral margin suggest- 

 ive of damage by oyster-eating fishes, which were found notably numerous here, 

 seven Kilati (Batistes milis) being caught by the No. 4 boat which traversed the 

 greatest extent of rocky bottom, while in the evening after anchoring, several large 

 Yellamin [Letkrinus sp.), noted devourers of shell fish, were taken together with more 

 Kilati. 



Although we found no pearl oysters in quantity, the work of the boats showed 

 that the ground to the east of this group and between it and the Sankuraiya Pattu 

 Par group is excellent ehank ground and should be marked as a chank-bed on the 

 chart. It will probably be found to extend also some distance northwards. The 

 chank-bed sand was excellent of its kind — fine grained and very dark in colour, due 

 to the presence of mud and organic particles and so forming an excellent feeding 

 ground to the annelids which constitute the favourite food of the chank. 



Seaweeds were common on these pars, principally Pudina and the lamellar olive 

 brown fucoid so characteristic of the Ceylon Periya Par. 



The characteristic fauna consists of — 



Spongionella nigra, Suberites inconstans, Clathria indica, Axinella lubulata and 

 Siphonochalina (with the usual commensals) as the most conspicuous and numerous 

 sponges ; a coarse form of the decalcifying sponge Clione, making burrows of large 

 size, is also conspicuous in the blocks of dead corals occasionally met with. 



Eunice tubifex, Trophonia and many small Polynoids and Serpulids, with 

 Gephyreans and Nemertines. 



Dromia sp., Alpheus sp., Gebia sp., Squills sp. and numerous other small 

 Decapods. 



Pentaceros lincki was present in quantity with an occcasional Linclcia miliaris., 

 and numerous Antedon spp. and Ophiuroids. 



Iso Pinna was taken either on the sand or the rock, 



.Ascidians were scantv in number. 



