Reports to the Colonial Office. 175 
obtained in Ceylon may be found to be of value from a commercial point 
of view in Queensland or again in the West Indies (Sponge fisheries). 
I am decidedly of the opinion that the expenditure of a certain 
proportion of the revenue derived from the Ceylon Pearl Fisheries, 
upon thorough and authoritative study of the questions raised in Sir W. 
Twynam’s report by the best scientific naturalists whose services can be 
obtained must in the course of time — if persisted in and sufficiently 
supported by money needed for experiments and investigation — produce 
a valuable return to the State in the form of increase in commercial 
results. 
A brief inspection of the banks by a capable scientific naturalist or the 
employment of a second-rate man of no real scientific knowledge or 
training would, in my judgment, be a waste of public money. 
I should myself like to see Professor Herdman, of Liverpool, entrusted 
with a two or three years’ mission in connection with the Ceylon Pearl 
Fisheries. He has given special attention to oysters and oyster fisheries, 
and is a man of genuine knowledge and also possessed of energy and 
initiative. It would be possible for him to give three or four months in 
each year to his professional work in England and to spend the rest of the 
year (at the proper season) in Ceylon. 
I think that Sir W. Twynam’s report might very well be submitted to 
Professor Herdman for his opinion, and that before taking a definite step 
it might be well to submit his proposals to the Council of the Royal 
Society for their advice. But I should not recommend that either the 
Zoological Society or the British Association be consulted. 
It is evident from Sir W. Twynam’s report there are many matters 
connected with the pearl banks upon which a competent naturalist versed 
in marine biology could at once clear up doubt. For instance, the 
mysterious enemy of the oysters mentioned in the report, which drills a 
small round hole in their shells. Every marine biologist knows at once 
that this must be one of the whelk -like gastropods, which preys upon the 
pearl oyster as do its congeners in European seas prey upon European 
oysters and comb-shells. 
Were a competent naturalist, such as Professor Herdman, entrusted 
with a thorough study of the Ceylon pearl banks, and provided with a 
well-fitted steam cruiser for dredging, sounding, diving, etc., there can be 
no doubt that, in the first place, zoological results of great general interest 
would be obtained, as well as collections of value to the national Museum, 
and new facts of the most varied kind tending to advance our knowledge 
of marine life. 
I believe, moreover, that in the second place such knowledge of the 
facts would be definitely gained as would enable the Ceylon Government 
to improve the pearl fisheries and to manage them in the best possible way 
with a view to getting the proper commercial return from them. 
It is impossible to foretell what results a clever naturalist might 
obtain. The artificial rearing of the spat of the pearl oyster and the 
nursing and transference of the young oysters as carried out in regard to 
European oysters might be found possible and of immense commercial 
value. Finally the artificial production of pearls is always, as far as 
zoological science enables us to form an opinion, a possibility. Perhaps 
I may, in conclusion, be allowed to point out that, some thirty-five years 
