( ^ ) 
;?. Off Karaitivu and Kalpituja.—Dntoh Moderagam, Karaitivu Paar, Alantura Paar, Steuart's 
Paar, Hamilton's Paar, Muttuvaratu Paar, Modiacoolie Paar, Talavilly Paars, and Navakadna Paar. 
4. Off Ghilaiv. — Jokenpiddi Paar, Karukupany Paar, and Chilaw Paar. 
5. Off Marcmila. — Ooloowitti Paar. 
6. Off Negombo. — Negombo Paar and a new rooky bank discovered last year. 
7. Pearl oysters were found only on the following banks : — Cheval Paar, Moderagam Paar, 
Periya Paar Karrai, Periya I'aar, Outer Vankali Paar, Kondatchi Paar, Dutch Moderagam Paar^ 
Karaitivu Paar, Alantura Paar, Muttuvaratu Paar, Jokenpiddi Paar, Chilaw Paar, Ooloowitti Paar, 
Negombo Paar, and on the new rocky bank discovered last year. 
8 On the east side of Cheval Paar three separate beds of oj'sters of about three year sold were 
found, and also two beds of young oysters fi'om three to six months old. The most northern bed of 
old oysters was found to be very small in area, and therefore of no importance ; but the bed on the 
centre varfc of the bank and the bed on the south part of it were found to be in the aggregate about 
11,804,676 square yards in area, containing oysters averaging from 19 to 27 oysters to a dive, and I 
estimated tlie number of oyste rs on the two beds to be about 74,41^,000. One of the beds of voung 
oysters was connected with the southern bed of old oysters on its west side, and extended aboutfof a 
mile to the westward of it and covering space between the east and west sides of the Cheval, but t,he 
young oysters extended more or less all over the area of old oysters. The other bed of young oysters 
on east side of Cheval lies to the westward of the centre bed of old oysters, and extends some distance 
into the space between east and west sides of the Cheval. A few old oysters were also found amongst 
the young oysters. 
9. On the west side of Cheval Paar five separate beds of old oysters of about three years old 
were found, but one of them is very small in area and therefore of no importance. The other four 
beds extended from the southern limit of West Cheval to the northern limit with comparatively small 
intervening spaces of no oysters. The area of the four beds of old oysters amounts io the aggregate 
to about 10,500,050 square yards, on which the oysters average from 27 to 40 at a dive, and I estimate 
the total number of oysters on them all to be about 123,357,000. On all of these four beds the old oysters 
were covered with young ones three to six months old. 
10. The North Moderagam was found to be nearly all covered with young oysters of about three 
to six months old, and the South Moderagam had one small bed of oysters of a similar age with some 
old oysters of three years amongst them on the north-^ast quadrant and two very small beds of young 
oysters only on the south quadrant. 
11. On the Periya Paar Karrai two beds of oysters of about three years old were found. The 
area of both beds was found to be about 1,232,250 squai-e yards, over which the oysters average from 
.'lO to 43 to a dive, and I have estimated the total number of oysters on both beds at about 21,477,000. 
A large proportion of these oysters are, I believe, likely to come to maturity. 
12. On the southern portion of the Periya Paar, which was fished in 1879, there were three 
small patches of oysters from 2 to 2\ years old, but the whole of the portion of the bank as well as a 
large extent of groun I adjoining it was found to be covered with youn oysters two to three 
mouths old. Indeed, three is reason to believe that the whole extent of the Periya Paar is now 
covered with young oysters, as during a run made down the centre of it in the launch " Serendib " 
for a distance of 6 miles, frequently stopping and sending down divers, young oysters in great 
abundance were found at every dive. 
13. On the Outer Vankalai Paar two small beds of oysters of about 2^ years old were found, 
one at the centre of the bank and one at the eastern margin, which latter is, however, of very small 
extent. The centre bed is of about 345,000 square yards in area, on which the oysters average 24 to 
a dive, and I estimated the number of oysters on it at 3,450,000. There is, however, a probability of 
none of these oysters being found on this bank next year, as they have largely diminished since last 
year. 
14. On the Kondatchi Paar a small bed of oysters of about three years old was found. The 
area of the land was found to be about 444,375 square yards, on which the oysters averaged 31 to 
a dive, and I estimated the number of oysters on the bed at about 5,739,000, a large proportion 
of which, I believe, will remain on the bank and arrive at maturity. 
15. On the Dutch Moderagam Paar a small bed of oysters from 2 to 2| years old was found. 
The area of the bed is about 387,500 square yards, over which the oysters were estimated to yield 22 
to a dive covering a space of 2i square yards, and I estimate the number of oysters on the bed at 
about 3,552,000 ; but I am doubft'ul of any of these oysters being found next year. 
16. On the Karaitivu Paar a considerable bed of oysters from eighteen months to two years 
old was found. The area of the bed was found to be about 1,570,850 square yards, over which area 
the oysters were estimated by the divers to average 43 to a dive, and I estimated the number of oysters 
on it at about 25,330,000, and I am confident of a large proportion of these oysters arriving at maturity. 
17. On the Alantura Paar a small bed of oysters from eighteen months to two years old was 
found. The area of the bed is about 1,006,000 square yards, over which space the divers estimated 
that 30 oysters could be obtained to a dive on the average, and I estimate the total number of oysters 
on the bed to be about 11,925,000, of which a large proportion are likely to remain and arrive at 
maturity. 
18. On the Muttuvaratu Paar a very large bank of oysters was found varying from about to 
2| years old. The area of the bank in square yards is about '10,206,725. On the north portion of the 
bank, which is the largest, the oysters were estimated by the divers to be in sufficient numbers to 
yield 64 to a dive on the average, and on the south portion 52 oysters to a dive. I estimate the 
number of oysters now on this bank to be about 277 million. Since last year a large number of 
young oysters have come upon the bank, thus accounting for the estimated number on it being 99 
million more than last year. This bank is at present in a very promising condition. 
