NO. 51. — 1900.] PEARL FISHERIES. 



189 



be prohibitive, even if found feasible. There are no known 

 pearl oyster beds on the east coast of Ceylon. The headman's 

 theory is, however, supported by the fact of a bed of pearl 

 oysters on the Kondatchi Paar being abandoned in 1855, 

 owing to the oysters being unremunerative in pearls. This 

 bank lies in from 3 to fathoms of water three miles from 

 the shore. 



The following quotation from Mr. Edgar Thurston's 

 Bulletin No. 1, on Pearl and Chank Fisheries of the Gulf of 

 Mannar, 1894, is significant : — 



The artificial cultivation of the pearl oysters was attempted some 

 years ago in a nursery made in the shallow muddy water of the Tuti- 

 corin harbour without success ; and in his final report to the Ceylon 

 Government Mr. Holdsworth expresses his opinion, with which I 

 thoroughly concur, that there is no ground for thinking that artificial 

 cultivation of the pearl oyster can be profitably carried out on the 

 Ceylon coast, as the conditions necessary for the healthy growth of 

 the oysters are not to be found in the very few places where they 

 could be at all protected or watched. 



4. Mr. Haly, on being invited to offer any remarks by H. E. the 

 Governor, stated, that he knew nothing more about the Pearl Oyster — 

 nor did he take any more interest in it— than any other invertebrate of 

 the great Indo-Pacific Fauna. As to its migrations, it shares that habit 

 with numerous species of widely different classes. Last year he 

 accompanied Professor Gooderich to Trincomalee in hopes of obtain- 

 ing certain species abundant there in 1887 and 1890 ; but although the 

 whole coast and harbour were carefully searched not a single specimen 

 was procured. In the same way a very large and handsome Aplysia or 

 sea-hare and a species of Melibe (a most strange and remarkable 

 mollusc) appeared in August and September in Weligama bay ; this 

 year the Aplysia cannot be found and the Melibe is scarce. When he 

 expressed his surprise to Mr. Gooderich at the disappearance of the 

 species formerly so abundant at Trincomalee, Professor Gooderich 

 stated that the same phenomenon occurs on every coast. A scientific 

 inquiry on a large scale, therefore, into the Pearl Oyster fishery could 

 not fail to be of great benefit to the Museum as tending to throw more 

 or less light on the habits of numerous species of widely remote classes. 



H. E. the Governor next called on Mr. Ferguson, who said : — I 

 suppose it is because I am the oldest member on the roll of the Society 

 in Colombo that I have been asked to propose a cordial vote of thanks 

 to Mr. Collett for the interesting and extremely useful Paper he has 

 read to us this evening. In any case it gives me very great pleasure 

 to comply with the request. It is interesting to note that from time 



