104 The Pearl Oyster of Ceylon, [no. 5, new series, 



at two of the largest fisheries ever made off Arripo in 1835 and 

 18,36. The Oysters fished during the first half of the fishery were 

 full sized, and yielded a good price, most of the speculators making 

 handsome profits. Government was encouraged to pursue the 

 fishery; young Oysters were taken up; many of the purchasers, 

 inflated with former gains, purchased readily, and were ruined ; 

 and, I believe, to this day, these over, or prematurely fished banks, 

 have not been very productive, although twenty years have since 

 elapsed. If the same incautious and unscientific plan were adopted 

 on the Oyster banks in England, similar results would soon be per- 

 ceived there. Not a "native" would be had in London, nor even 

 a cultivated one seen any where. If Government desires to have 

 a steady, and not a precarious revenue, from Pearl Oyster fisheries, 

 let good laws protect the beds already known, and those that are now 

 forming ; and let means be adopted to secure their increase and 

 growth. In one year more Oysters are consumed in England, than 

 were fished on the banks of Arripo last year; and this consump- 

 tion is repeated year after year, without exhaustion ; simply be- 

 cause the natural laws having been once found out, they are allow- 

 ed to operate fairly. It will indeed be a very great source of sa- 

 tisfaction to me, if any of the natural laws I have described in this 

 Report, suggest to Government, an improved system of manage- 

 ment. 



My attention has also been directed to the Natural History of 

 the Tamblegam Oyster, Placwxa placenta. I have a few still alive, 

 which were translated in May last. If this Oyster can be success- 

 fully translated, the whole of Batticaloa lake might be converted 

 into a large Ostrearium. The Placuna placenta has no byssus, and 

 can, therefore, be more readily transported. Their removal from 

 their native beds, does not necessarily destroy the internal parts. 

 About one-third of the Pearl Oyster (Meleagrina,) die from being 

 injured by the force necessarily applied when detaching them from 

 the rocks to which they adhere. 



I have also lately " doctored" some Pearl Oysters, according to 

 the plan adopted by the Chinese, in the case of the large fresh 

 water mussel : but which method, I believe, has never been at- 

 tempted with the real Pearl Oysters. Time, and further experi- 



