Feb. 1> 1901.] THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
541 
S • To the Editor. 
THE CEYLON PEARL FISHERIES AND 
THEIR RESTORATION. 
The Elm'=, Croydon, Surrey, England, Dec 6. 
Dear Sir, — I am, presaniably, indebted to j'oii 
for the co|iy of the Ceylon Observer of October 
29tl), containing a very intere.^ting and important 
leading article on the subject of the Ceylon 
Pearl Fisheries, and in which you have been 
pleased to make sundry references to my work 
and experiences connected with cognate industiies. 
I anticipate that it was your desire in forward- 
ing nn this copy to elicit niy opinion regarding 
the prospects of resuscitating tlie depleted fisheries 
of the indigenous pearl-producing shell meleagrina 
fucata. 
1 have much pleasure in stating that I consider 
that it would be perfectly feasible to establish, as 
you have suggested, fisheries of the larger and 
more valuable Australian niotlier of pearl shell, 
meleagrina margarctifcra, in Cingalese waters. 
Bespecting the resuscitation of those of the 
indigenous species, I should feel scarcely justified 
in pronouncing a decidetl opinion wiihour having 
a personal acquaintance with the condition.* ancl 
environments under which that pearl-shell grows 
upon your coasts. At the same lime the spe3ies 
is so closely allied to one of the smaller Australian 
varieties, MI. imbriccda, with which I have 
successfully dealt in the matter of re-establishing 
depleted fisherie'^, that I should anticipate no very 
serious obstacles in the accomplishment of the 
task. 
It would afford me the greatest pleasure to 
contribute some practical assistance cowards the 
restoration of your fisheries and I greatly regret 
I. was not made aware earlier of the existing 
position of affairs. I gather from your leading 
article that negotiations are in progress if not 
completed for securing the assistance of Dr. 
Herd man of Liverpool to investigate and report 
as to the best plans to pursue. As indicated in 
your leader Dr. Herdman, should he come, will 
approach the subject as an entirely new one and 
will be -dependent, for preliminary information 
concerning it, on the recorded experiences of the 
very few previous workers in this field and notably 
niy own. In consequence, moreover, of Dr. 
Herdnian's important University engagements he 
will be unable to devote more than a limited time 
to his investigations and it will necessarily hav'e 
to be left to otiiers to carry out the most desirable 
subsequent operations that may be decided on. 
It has occurred to me that under such circum- 
stances the Ceylon Government mi^'ht like to 
avail itself of the opportunity of my assistance 
and practical experience towards the realisation 
of the objects in view. In anticipation of such a 
contingency I have addressed a communication to 
Sir West Ridgeway stating- that I should be pleased 
ts place my services at the Government's disposal 
and have at the same time remitted to His 
Excellency copies of my reports niade to the 
various Australian Colonial Governments and 
other pamphlets testifying to my practical ac- 
quaintance with the subjects of Pearl and Pearl- 
shell Fisheries. I have also referred more particu- 
larly to my two published volumes, " The Great 
Barrier Reef of Australia " and "The Naturalist in 
Australia," in each of which I have iaclu.Ud 
m 
a chapter specially devoted to these importanfc 
subjects. These volumes being too ponderous 
to U-ansmit by post I have suggested that they 
will be found in the Colombo Public Library or j 
in that associated with the Mufeum. 
In the event of my services being engaged, I 
may add that my familiarity with tlie Austral- 
asian Pearl-shell grduntls and j);'.st lelatiouship 
with the seveial Australian Governments would 
prove of material assistance towards obtaining 
supplies of the hirgei' and more valuable Aua- . 
tralian shell for the establishment of fisheries 
of the species in Ceylon waters. 1 may remark f 
finally that n.y previous inurement to, and pre-. , 
dilectioii for, a tropical climate should serve nio 
in gooil stead and greatly facilitate the execution 
of the work that may by confided to me. 
I have no doubt, in conclusion, that the com-., 
■munication and documents I have addressed to 
Sir West Ridgeway will come under general . 
notice, and if in addition there are anj' points 
in this letter that you may like to, and think 
desirable to, make use of, you are welcome , 
to do so. 
Thanking you again for the copy of your paper 
and its interesting and important content", I 
remain. Yours very faithfully, 
' \V SAVILLE-KENT, F.L.s , F.Z..S. .. 
Late Commissioner of Fisheries, Tasmania, 
Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia. 
P.S — Since writing the foregoing letter, I 
have made the discovery, that in addition to 
your leading article, your paper contains a 
full account cf the meeting of the Royal Asia- 
tic Society, at which this most important ques- 
tion of the Pearl Fisheries was discussed. His 
Excellency's speech clearly sets forth that uo 
definite arran^rements had been arrivetl at with 
Prof. Ray Lankester or Dr. Herdman, Prof. Ray 
Lankester, in fact, having, as H E. put it, " opened . 
his mouth too wide." Tlie chances of mybein£j, 
permitted the opportunity of coming to your i 
assistance are consequently increased, and I have 
deemed it worth while to cable out a few words 
to you intimating that I am at liberty and 
prepared to take up the work. A year or so 
ago when my great friend, Sir William Flower, 
was at the head of the Natural History Museum 
(to which I was originally attached) the matter 
would have been referred to him and he would, 
I think, have indicated myself as the one 
man possessing the practical knowledge and- 
aequain*,ance with the subject of Pearl-shell 
cultivation that could most naturally assist your 
at the present juncture. Unfortunately, both he • 
and Prof. Huxley — my original teacher and 
scientific sponsor who sent me out to Australia — 
have passed away and those new to power : 
are either Fhaiaohs that "knew not Jo.seph " . 
or have other views. I am enclosing you in 
separate packet a few duplicate and additional 
reprints of my rei)orts and papers that have 
turned up since I despatched my batch to Sir 
West Ridgeway. One of these — " The Oysters; 
and Oyster Fisheries of Queensland " — is rather 
scarce and in demand. Please have it placed 
with the others. It would no doubt be welcome, 
after service, at the museum Library. 
Though to some extent lost sight of during 
the past two years, 1 have been by no means 
-idle. The fascinations of the newly-developed 
science of Natural Colour Photography and its 
application to Natural History subjects, has 
"commandeered" much of my time with grati* 
t 
