fSH 2>G>>7 15 He, UC-NRLF i naa THE PRESENT DEPLETION OF THE OYSTER-BED OF SIND; ITS CAUSES AND THE EEMEDIES. BY JAMES HOENELL, F.L.S., Marine Assistant, Madras Fislieries Bureau, etc., etc- BOMBAY PRINTED AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL FRES3 1910 THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID . THE PKESENT DEPLETION OP THE OYSTER-BED OF SIND; ITS CAUSES AND THE EEMEDIES. BY JAMES HOENELL, F.L.S., Marine Assistant, Madras Fisheries Bureau, etc., etc. BOMBAY PRINTED AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL FRESS 1910 J5H4, THE PRESENT DEPLETION OP THE OYSTER BEDS OF SINI); ITS CAUSES AND THE REMEDIES. BY JAMES HORNELL, F.L.S., Marine Assistant, Fisheries Bureau, and Superintendent of Pearl and Chank Fisheries to the Government of Madras. I. — INTRODUCTORY. II. — PHYSICAL FEATURES OP THE SIND GOAST. III. — HISTORY OF THE OYSTER INDUSTRY IN SIND. IV. — THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE BEDS. V. — CONCLUSIONS. VI. — THE REMEDIAL MEASURES PROPOSED. c 695 -« 1 M3494-! I.— INTRODUCTORY. The Sind creeks a few years ago produced edible oysters in great abund- ance ; their collection and despatch constituted a lucrative minor industry in the district and earned for Karachi, whence they were forwarded all over the north of India, a pre-eminent reputation for the excellence of its oysters. 2. Sixteen years ago a diminution of the prosperity of the beds was first noted ; the decrease continued and became progressive in spite of various measures adopted to remedy this deterioration, and in the early part of 1908 Mr. H. C. Mules, the then Collector of Karachi, felt compelled to recommend to Government the desirability of obtaining expert advice with a view to the initiation of suitable measures for the preservation and increased production of the beds. Attention was drawn to the fact that the institution of an annual close season and the alternate closure for two-year periods of the two sections into which the creeks were classified had proved unavailing to check depletion. The almost total disappearance of edible oysters from places which formerly furnished them in abundance was signalized ; the beds were stated to be practi- cally exhausted. Without the initiation of a more efficient system of conserva- tion it was predicted as certain that edible oysters in Sind would be non-existent within a few years. 3. In consequence of this representation the Madras Government was requested by the Government of Bombay in January 1909 to permit me to undertake an inspection of the Sind oyster beds in order to investigate the causes of their exhaustion, and, if possible, to formulate a practical scheme for their regeneration. My services could not then be spared, but eventually it was arranged that I should proceed on a three-weeks deputation to Sind on my return from leave in the October following. To save time I returned to India vid Bombay. I landed there on 19th October 1909 and thence proceeded to Kardchi by the first steamer available. After reporting my arrival to Mr. W. H. Lucas, Commissioner in Sind, and to Mr. H. C. Mules, Collector of Karachi, the latter was able to arrange, by the courtesy of Mr. F. S. Punnett, Chief Collector of Customs, that I should have the use of the Customs sailing yacht " May Queen " for my tour of the creeks as well as the invaluable services as guide of Mr. G. W. Judd, the veteran Head Preventive Officer. Eleven days of incessant work followed ; of this time the greater part was spent in acquiring a first-hand acquaintance with the physical and biological conditions prevailing in the great net-work of waterways forming the seaward section of the Indus Delta. Time was also found to examine the Karachi backwater and the oyster- deposits on the banks of the Hab river, the frontier between Sind and Baluchistan. The visit concluded with a camel ride to the Kuranji creek on 5th November, and on the evening V>f the same day I left Kardchi for Bombay and Madras. 4. Before proceeding to deal with the subject-matter in detail, I take this opportunity thank to most heartily all the officials named for the trouble they took to meet my wishes in every way possible and to provide me with every possible facility for my enquiry by furnishing me with the best available means to get about, by giving me access to all available records and by placing their own personal knowledge of the subject unreservedly at my disposal. Mr. Judd, Head Preventive Officer, I wish to thank most specially for the invaluable assistance he rendered throughout the investigation, often I fear, at the expense of great personal discomfort, for it is not every one who is able to withstand the effects of the pitching and rolling of a small vessel in breezy weather ! No one has such an intimate acquaintance with the details and history of the local Oyster Fishery as Mr. Judd, and I should have been at a great disadvantage and the enquiry would have been much prejudiced had his knowledge not been available. II.— PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE SIND COAST. 5. To enable the details of the ensuing sections to be followed with greater ease and fuller comprehension, it may be of advantage if I preface them with an outline in brief of the more prominent physical features and characteristics of the coast district of Sind. B 695—1 2 6. The Sind coast-line has an extent oE some 130 miles from the boundary with Kutch on the east to that of Baluchistan on the west. Except for the extreme western extremity where a low range of sun-scorched barren hills descends to the coast to end in the bluff headland of Ras Muari commonly known as Cape Monze, the coast line is low and unmarked by any conspicuous landmarks eastward of Gizri creek immediately to the east of Karachi City. Prom the latter point to Kori creek, the boundary with the native state of Kutch, the coastal lands of Sind are of purely deltaic origin, low alluvial flats intersected by a maze of waterways connected now or in times past with the delivery of the Indus waters to the sea. A narrow belt of low sand hills generally borders the seaward margin ; behind this the land stretches inland for many miles in a long vista of muddy swamps, mostly submerged at high water of spring tides. Formerly large areas were covered with mangrove scrub, but to-day the firewood cutter has practically cleared the land even of this scanty vegetation to the distress of camel breeders who formerly were able to graze great herds of camels in this mangrove jungle. Occasionally some tamarisk bushes are seen and on the flats adjoining the Indus main channels — the Kediwari, the Baghiar and occasionally the Hajamro — extensive paddy cultivation is carried on after the floods subside. 7. The Indus, the creator of all this land, divides into two principal arms about 50 miles from the sea. These discharge during the flood season by a variable number of mouths, spread over a sea-face of nearly 100 miles ; as the inundation subsides, the majority of the mouths cease to pass fresh water, the discharge becoming limited usually to two, the Kediwari and the Baghiar. August is the month of maximum flow. The local rainfall, a very scanty and fluctuating one, averages about 7 inches ; the bulk of this falls in July. This rainfall turns the river beds opening into the Hab estuary, the Karachi backwater, and Gizri creek, into raging torrents for a few hours, but its influence on the Indus discharge is trivial compared with the enormous floods, continuous throughout the summer, caused by the melting of the snows and glaciers on the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas. 8. The Creek mouths between Karachi and the seaward opening of the Kediwari, at present the principal channel for the discharge of the Indus, are as follows in order from north-west to south-east, namely : — • Gizri, Piti, Khudi, Khai, Pitiani, Dubba, Sisa, and Hajamro. Beyond the Kediwari mouth the creeks are less well known and as I was informed that no oyster beds of any value are found there, I did not visit this district. It may be mentioned, however, that the Baghiar is the chief discharge mouth eastward of the Kediwari and that the easternmost creeks, the Sir and the Kori, are now cut off from direct communication with the Indus by means of bunds. The Kori creek forms the boundary between Sind and Kutch. 9. Gizri mouth, six miles south-east of Manora Point, leads into Gizri and Kurauji creeks ; the former penetrates northwards half-way to Karachi, the latter leads inland and gives off on the south the tributary creek called Kadero through which access is gained to southward creeks and through them by circuitous channels to the Indus. The northern bank of the Kuranji is formed by a line of low bluffs, the escarpment of the low plateau of sandy limestone stretching east and north of Kardchi. Rugged precipitous nullahs or dry waterways cut through this line of oliff at frequent intervals, giving a distinct suggestion of canon country to the plateau when viewed from one of the higher hillocks. As the creeks do not extend northwards across this plateau, we may infer that this escarpment set a northern bound to the Indus floods, so that we may consider the Kuranji as marking the most northern of the old time channels leading from the Indus to the sea. The southern bank of the Kuranji is low-lying and swampy, often inundated at high water of great spring tides ; mangroves and other swamp bushes are fairly plentiful over these flats. 10. Piti mouth leads northwards into the J'hiri creek, eastwards into the Piti creek. On the banks of both these creeks are said to be the ruins of strongly built forts reminiscent of days when these creeks functioned as main outlets of the Indus, prior to deflection of the main arms to the more eastward course they have at the present day. 3 11. The next three mouths, the Khudi, Khai, Pitiani and Dubba, require no special notice here ; they all lead into creeks which meander through low-lying mud flats, very sparsely furnished with mangrove scrubs. The inhabitants are few in number — fishermen and camel graziers living in poor huts surrounded with low bunds to keep out the tide, which at high springs submerges the surrounding country. Neither springs nor wells are found in this region ; all sweet water has to be brought in boats from a distance and is stored in tiny tanks enclosed by mud bunds a few inches high. 12. Next comes the Sisa (or Jua) mouth leading into Sisa creek to the north-east, to Bhuri creek to the east and to the narrow Gabri creek into the Hajamro and through to Keti, the only town near the embouchure of the Indus. 13. The Hajamro mouth and creek vary greatly in position and importance, sometimes forming for years one of the chief outlets of the Indus, sometimes being cut off and forming a purely salt water tidal creek. One of its active periods began about 1848 when it poured a large portion of the Indus water into the sea immediately to the south of the Sisa mouth. Since then its seaward opening has been deflected a considerable distance southward till to-day it is only five miles north of the mouth of the Kediwari. The mud flats at its entrance have also grown seawards some 3^ miles since 1867, when it constituted the only navigable mouth of the Indus. This branch after a long period of closure at the point of junction with the Indus (Kediwari) was again opened during the floods some three years ago and at present shallow drafc craft are able to pass to sea from Keti either by this mouth or the Kediwari ; they have the further convenience of being able to pass the whole way from Keti to Gizri Bandar by inland channels without having to debouch at the Kediwari mouth, and then re-enter the creeks by the Hajamro or the Sisa mouths, as was necessary during the period when the Hajamro did not connect with the Indus at Keti. 14. The main branch of the Indus has long been the Kediwari and there appears every probability of it so continuing. Like the creeks and channels already mentioned its banks are everywhere low and subject to more or less submergence during the height of floods. The power of the river water being much greater than the tidal influence in this outlet, paddy cultivation is exten- sively carried on along the banks as the inundation subsides. In those years when the Hajamro takes off from the Indus, cultivation extends down the flats bordering this channel as well, being again abandoned upon interruption of free communication, as the water then becomes wholly tidal and unfit for irrigation purposes. 15. So far as we know, the history of the northern (north-western) section of the Indus delta — that portion with which we are immediately concerned — begins about the end of the 7th century. At the time of Alexander the Great's invasion of the Punjab and voyage down the Indus and till about A.D. 680, this river appears to have flowed to the sea considerably to the east of its present course and to have entered the sea by what is now the Kori creek, the boundary between Sind and Kutch. Then about 680 A.D. the river cut a passage for itself through the limestone ridge between K/ori aud Bukkur and burst a new way to the sea some 70 miles to the westward, probably in the vicinity of the upper reaches of the Piti and J'hiri creeks. In the succeeding centuries the ultimate channels gradually straightened tending more and more to the south and east till they took their present form, with the Kediwari as the principal outlet. From this we may conclude that the northernmost creeks, the Kuranji, Piti, Khudi Khai and Pitiaui, antedate those between the last named and the Kediwari ; the former seldom pass any large volume of river water in normal years. Their main channels and their tributary creeks are subject to little change and, as will be noted on a later page, these are the localities where edible oyster beds have been most largely developed. Seldom have bads of oysters been found in creeks and channels having direct communication with the Indus — thus there were several beds in the Hajamro when this channel was bunded off by silting from the Kediwari, but these beds have entirely disappeared since the recent re-opening of communication and the constant rush of river water down this channel. 4 16. The character and history of the Karachi backwater are distinct from those of the Indus creeks. Here we have no true deltaic formation but a great backwater all but shut off from the sea by a long narrow sandridge forming a natural breakwater extending N.-W. from Manora Point to a junction with the foot slopes of the range of hills terminating in Cape Monze. This long dividing bank is due to the interaction of the prevailing winds and currents with the scour- ing action of the heavy spates which once or twice a year pour into the backwater with great force from the Laiari River. The general set of the currents is to the south-east ; in the S.-W. monsoon the force exerted on the sand brought down to the sea by the hill and plateau drainage streams of the neighbouring land is very powerful ; a large amount of sand is also forced round the outlying head of Cape Monze from the sandy Baluchistan coast and this with the locally accumulated detritus is piled as a low barrier parallel with the coast. The floods from the land behind periodically scour away much of this current and wind accumu- lation keeping open a number of deep channels within, the principal being that from the Laiari River which now forms Kardchi Harbour. 17. There can be no doubt that the Laiari River originally opened directly to the sea; the small streams from the south slopes of the Hab Hills also descended direct to the sea. Gradually an obstructive sand bank grew out south-eastwards from the Hab slopes and with its growth the various streams behind turned in a like direction, till the time when the only outlet came to lie to the east of Manora bluff. The channels at the western end of the back- water are kept open by the flow during the rains of a number of small hill streams, those of the centre and east sections by the intermittent floods of the Laiari. West of Cape Monze the Sind Coast consists merely of the eastern bank of the estuary of the Hab River, a mountain stream rising southward of Kelat with a course of some 100 miles in length. The mouth is much obstructed by sand- banks which dry at low tide and leave open only a narrow channel close to the Sind side. Low cliffs of gritty limestone approach the river bank in several places along the Sind shore ; the opposite or Baluchistan margin is backed for some distance by a sandy plain. Further details are given in the section descriptive of the visit paid to the oyster beds of this estuary. III.— THE HISTORY OF THE OYSTER INDUSTRY IN SIND. 18. Prior to 1894 no official cognizance was taken of the fishery for edible oysters on the Sind Coast ; the industry paid no dues, and was under no super- vision. From statements by Umar Saffur and Sumar Ebrahim, two men who shared the trade of collecting oysters for sale to the wholesale dealers of Karachi, and who were examined during the first enquiry (1895) into the condition of the beds, it appears that the trade began about 1855. When Umar Saffur commenced business, his supplies were obtained from the Nawa Nar beds in the western section of Karachi backwater. He stated that extensive beds existed there originally. For a number of years the demand was purely local, none being sent up-country till the opening of the Sind Railway, and so long as this was the case the oystermen stated they had no difficulty in meeting the supply. With improvement in distributing facilities and the consequent growth of a demand in the Punjab, Baluchistan and the North-West of India generally, the Nawa Nar or Mauripur beds began to show signs of exhaustion. Difficulty was found in obtaining the quantities required and it became necessary to begin to fish the beds in Kuranji creek, east of Brain Haidri. This creek is the northern- most of the Indus deltaic system ; the rocky escarpment forming its northern bank provides some outlying patches in the creek bed which render it very suitable to become oyster bottom. These beds, from the evidence provided by their present ruins and by the showing of the oystermen, must have been very rich — they and the Nawa Nar beds appear to have sufficed for all needs down to 1890. It is on record that in this year foul smelling sulphuretted water entered Karachi Harbour and the three creeks to the southward — Kuranji, Piti and Khudi ; in June 1890, Karachi Harbour was full of dead fish.(1) There is general (!) Sir Henry Mace is quoted by the Sind Gazette dated 16th August 18'J7 as having said that, when steaming along the coast of Baluchistan, he had seen the sea, for short periods, as if putrid, the fish being destroyed in myriads, so that, to prevent a pestilence, measures had to be taken to bury those that were .cast up ou the beach. He suggested that the cause was the out- break of a submarine volcano and the liberation of sulphuretted hydrogen. agreement among the fishermen and dealers that this foul water affected oysters equally with fish and they state that the oyster beds in the tbree creeks named were entirely destroyed. The deadly influence of the poisonous water appears not to have affected the waterways southward of Khudi, hence the oyster beds of the further creeks, Khai, Pitiani, and Dubba, were subject to a ruthless exploitation from 1890 till their virtual exhaustion some four years later. From about 1880 to 1893 was the period of greatest productiveness ; the beds although limited in area were so rich that till 1892 or 189 5 no difficulty was experienced in meeting the Urge and increasing demand The Customs authorities have estimated the annual yield of the beds during the fat years of the early nineties at about 100,000 dozen made up thus : — Dozen. (a) About 30 boats per annum, each carrying on an average 600 dozen large and 3,000 dozen small oysters ... ... ... 90,000 (b) By camels and donkeys from the Karanji creek and the Mauri pur beds in Karachi backwater ... ... ... ... 10,000 Annual total ... 100,000 19. In the early days of the industry the wholesale price was exceedingly low — 6 pies per dozen according to Utnar Saffur. The rate rose gradually till it treached one anna per dozen in 1890. By 1S95 it had doubled and to-day it has risen to 3 and even 4 annas per dozea wholesale, when procurable, but the bulk of orders received by the Karachi dealers have now to be refused for lack of supply. 20. The attention of the authorities to the rapidly increasing scarcity of oysters in the creeks appears first to have been drawn by Mr. Gr. W. Judd, the present Head Preventive Officer in the Karachi Customs' service. In a letter to the Collector of Customs, dated 29th June 1894, he intimated that he had ascertained that the oyster beds in the Sind creeks which had supplied all the requirements of Karachi for years previously, were being exhausted and that a great deal of trouble, delay and additional expense had now to be incurred in the collection of oysters. His attention had been idirected to the matter by learning that the Karachi oyster traders were negotiating with the authorities of the neighbouring native state of Las Beyla in Baluchistan to obtain supplies at Sonmiani during the ensuing cold season owing to the ever-increasing difficulty in obtaining a sufficient supply from the home creeks. Enquiries had been made at Sonmiani three years previously, but on the Jam's officials demanding a fee of Rs. 10 per boat-load, the traders declined to treat further for the time being. Mr. Judd also reported having examined the oyster beds in Kuranji and Piti creeks some short time previously ; he found that " all that remained were empty shells to mark the spot where at one time boat-loads used to b" removed." The letter concluded by expressing the writer's belief that within a short time the whole of the oyster beds in the vicinity of Karachi would be entirely exhausted, unless measures of protection were initiated. The Mukhtyarkar of Karachi. confirmed the foregoing statements. He remarked that the exhaustion of the beds was due to the very large exportation of oysters to up-country stations during the cold season. He suggested that restrictive regulations might be enforced under the provisions of section 37 of the Bombay Land- Revenue Code (Bombay Act V of 1879; which vests in the State the ownership " of the bed of the sea and of the harbour and creeks below high water mark." 21. In February of the following year (1895), the Commissioner ordered an enquiry in order to ascertain particularly the general condition of the beds, the localities where they exist, the annual production, and the measures, if any, to be taken to regulate the fishery and to prevent its extinction. 22. Oystermen, fishermen, dealers and exporters were examined and ample testimony of the depleted condition of the beds was adduced. 23 It was shown that since 1890 the source of supply was limited almost entirely to the Pitiani, Khai and Dubba creeks and their branches. Fisher nen from these localities agreed that few or no oysters were taken from these three creeks prior to the end of 1890, the year when the entry of foul water completed the destruction of the beds in the more northern creeks. For the first two seasons (Ib9()-9l and 1891-92), the oystermen Umar Saffur and Sumar Ebrahitn collected the oysters without the assistance of the villagers, so abundant was the supply. At the beginning of the 1892-93 season the oysters had become B 695—2 6 less easy to collect in quantity and it was necessary to enlist the assistance of the fishermen and villagers to scour the waterways for the quantities required. For the first two years, the oystermen paid the villagers at the rate of Rs. 4 per 100 dozen. This price paid the collectors well for the first season ; during the second it scarce sufficed for a bare living. At the beginning of the 1894-95 season oysters had become so reduced in numbers that the oystermen were compelled to raise the rate of payment for collection to Us. 5 per 100 dozen. Even this ceased to be remunerative after the first few weeks of the season, so scarce were the oysters ; indeed so extreme was the difficulty experienced in their collection in quantity that the majority of the men who had been employed gave up the work in disgust in spite of the temptation of money advances offered by the oyster dealers. 24. Apart from the harm done by actual overfishing, a very serious abuse came to light during this enquiry ; it was found that for greater convenience in sorting as well as for personal comfort during cold weather, it had been cus- tomary for the fishermen to load up their small boats (toneys) with oyster clumps or clusters indiscriminately, transport them to some convenient place near high water mark and there do the actual separation of marketable oysters at leisure. This entailed great loss as the clumps removed consisted largely of dead shells frequently bearing numbers of immature oysters ; when the former were knocked off, the latter died from exposure, no effort being made to replace this unsaleable material on the bed whence it came. As one fisherman justly remarked, the men destroyed more than they removed, as the young ones thus lost would have been ready for market the following season had they been either replaced or left on the mother-bed. W The oysters selected were usually kept in the channel adjacent to the fishermen's huts till the oyster dealer came round to the village with his boat. The evidence given at this enquiry was considered to bear out fully the Statements made regarding the perilous condition ot the oyster industry and the imminence of permanent depletion unless safeguarding measures were at once taken. Various regulations were suggested but all that was done in 1896 was to close the beds during the hot weather and then upon their re-opening in October to make sure by inspection of the cargoes brought into Karachi that no under- sized oysters were taken to market. 25. At this time Captain Shoplaud, an ardent Conchologist, happened to be Port Officer at Karachi and this appears to have led the Commissioner to request him to make a personal examination with a view to furnish further suggestions regarding the measures most likely to lead to improvement in the supply. 26. The report was furnished in January 1897. It was couched in a most optimistic key, the view being taken that the institution of an annual and general close time from 15th April to 1st October for all the. beds and the enforcement of a size limit would prove sufficient to restore prosperity to all the beds save those at Nawa Nar and in the Kuranji ereek; for these latter he suggested a preliminary closure of two years. No oysters under 2 inches or over 6 inches in greatest length were to be fished. 27. From the enquiries made, Captain Shopland was able to furnish the following list of places in Sind whence oysters are obtained for the Karachi market, viz. : — Name of creek etc. Hab River Karachi Harbour Gizri (Kuranji) cree Pili creek Khucli creek Kbai creek K ban to creek Pitiani creek Dubba creek Hajamro creek Total of beds 72 what I saw of the proceedings of oyster collectors during my inspection last year, I fully believe this to have been an important factor in depletion. He reported also that no oysters were procurable in tlie Hab river at the time of his visit, as during the preceding rainy season the river altered its course and silted over with sand nearly all the oyster-covered rocks. Captain Shopland expressed the opinion that the Sind oyster is fit for the table when 2 years old, a conjecture based on the appearance of the shell and upon the measurements of a few oysters kept under observation for two months. During this period they exhibited very rapid increase, showing an improvement of from f to 1 inch in length and of £ to f inch in breadth within this time. The details are worthy of record, namely : — . On 12th November 1896. On llth January 1897. No. 1 If x 1J in. 2} X If in. 2 2J X 2J in. 3J x 2i iu. 3 2J X 2| in. 3£ x 2£ in. 4, 1* X If in. 2i X 2£ in. 28. To gain reliable information as to the rate of growth he recommended the deposit of a few boat-loads of tiles or stones to serve as spat collectors during the ensuing April at the oyster beds at Nawa Nar and that the spat so collected be examined from time to time during the ensuing 5 or 6 years. 29. In accordance with these recommendations, an annual close season from loth April to 1st October was ordered, the size limit suggested was adopted, and Mr. Judd, the Head Preventive Customs Officer, was instructed to deposit three boat-loads of cultch at Nawa Nar and to periodically examine and report on the progress of any spat which might settle thereon. The Customs Officers were charged with a general oversight of the beds at large, while the supervision of the imports into Karachi was entrusted to the Port Officer. The better to control the trade, all collectors of oysters had to take out licenses, being charged a nominal fee. No special establishment was considered necessary to enforce the regulations. 30. The industry did show a slight improvement during the ensuing three seasons, the average yield approximately 17,000 dozen per annum from the whole Sind Coast. The yield fell greatly iu the 1900-01 season, the combined yield from the Sind creeks and the Hab river scarcely exceeding a bare 9,000 dozen ; the next season with a total of 9,640 dozen was not appreciably better, and had it not been for large imports from Kutch consumers would have fared badly. Bad as these years were, worse was to follow. Karachi and the coast line in the vicinity was visited in 1902 by a cyclone of great violence ; immense damage was done to property and vast quantities of sand were displaced along the seaward region of the creeks ; many of the best oyster beds were lost by being thus covered several feet deep with sand. As a consequence a piltry 1,940 dozen were all that the beds yielded during the 1902-03 season. Apart from the exceptional cause of shortage in 1902-03, the low yield of the preceding years necessitated reconsideration of the protective measures in force which were clearly insufficient to prevent exhaustion of the beds. Mr. B. H. AitUen ("Eha") was Chief Collector of Customs at this time and we find him writing in July 1903 : " I can come to no other conclusion than that the exhaustion of the once renowned oyster beds of Karachi has been mainly due to their being destroyed faster than they could recover, especially since the practice of packing them in ice has made it possible to send them to up-country markets." He ended by expressing the opinion that all the beds in Sind might with advantage be left unworked for one year, at the end of which after fuller inspection they should be divided into blocks, each to be worked once in three or four years. He also pressed for further trial of experimental culture in order to ascertain the rate of growth and other points of importance to n, proper control of the fishery. It was noted that the spat-collecting experiments tried several times in the Nawa Nar creek had failed owing to the prohibition against removing oysters from this locality having remained a dead letter. From the context ifc is evident that a certain amount of spat had attached to the tiles but no record of its early history, neither the date of settlement on the collectors, nor the size • 8 attained during the first year's growth, was obtained, although it is mentioned that " men were caught removing them (oysters) from the very cultch put down by Mr. Judd." If they were worth removing, they must have been worth measuring I The Collector disagreed in part with the foregoing recommendations ; from enquiries made he feared that closure of all the creeks would cause in- convenience and result in the market being occasionally without oysters during the season. It would be preferable, he considered, to close the creeks by compartments, those between Gizri and Kutch first, as such had suffered most, and those between Gizri and the Hab river in the next and alternate period. Any deficiency in the supply, he believed, would easily be made good by increased imports from Kutch, as 17,300 dozen were imported therefrom in 1901-02 and 21,600 dozen during the following season. 31. The Commissioner approved, and the necessary instructions were issued for the closing of the beds in one or other of two sections in alternate years in addition to the regulations previously in force. As the creeks south of Gizri were to receive attention during the first year, the following notice was issued : — " GENERAL DEPAETMENT. No. 2570, dated 27th July 1903. Whereas under section 37 of the Land-Revenue Code (Bombay Act V of 1879) all the creeks on the Sind coast are the property of Government : I hereby give notice that the taking or removing of oysters from the beds of the creeks mentioned below is prohibited until further orders. Any person found taking or removing oysters from the creeks referred to will be dealt with according to law. Creeks referred to : All creeks between Ghizri creek near Karachi and Sir Creek in the Jati Taluka. The names of the principal creeks and their branches are : Main creek. Branches or situation. Kurangi ... ... Jori Chain, Charo, and rocks to west of Bram Hyderi. 1'hoti ... ... Kund, Kliari. Kbudi ... ... Chaglo. Khai ... ... Memonki Pir Waro, Khanto. Khanto ... ..: Chitri Waro, in the bed of the Khanto creek. Kbanbrano ... Near Panju's Got. Pirtiani ... ... Sanehri, Khamisa, Dumbri, Kun Chhino, Gudago, Chach in Wado Kbamisa, Kotia Wari. Dubbo ... ... Kucber. Hajamro ... ... Mithi Chbani, Ferti, Jhip." 32. Thus was initiated the protective system now in force. Study of the figures of oyster imports into Kardchi shows that at the commencement it gave fair promise of effecting the desired results; thus after two years closurse of the Sind creeks the produce of their beds amounted in 191)5-06 to 13,030 dozen as against 1,750 dozen in 1902-03, 9,300 dozen in 1901-02 and 8,503 dozen in 1900-01, the three seasons prior to the adoption of the new methods of regulation. Unfortunately the improvement was not maintained, for in the 1906-07 season the output fell to 4,930 dozen. In the same way the closing of the Karachi beds at Nawa iNar for two seasons gave good results for the first year of re-opening, the produce of 1907-1 * being 875 dozen, a very much better figure than any for the four seasons which preceded the two years of closure, namely, 340, 19 , 70 and 10" dozen respectively for the seasons 1901-02 to 1904-05. Against this improvement must be set the fact that the produce of the Hab beds afier two years' rigorous protection showed a decline of over 66 per cent, on the output of the year preceding closure, to wit, 1,100 dozen in 1907-08 against 3,400 dozen in 19U4-05. 9 33. By the end of 1907 the beds were found so extremely depleted that Mr. H. C. Mules, Collector of Karachi, became convinced of the complete failure of the measures adopted since 1896 to prevent the exhaustion of the oyster beds along the Sind Coast. 34. In a letter to the Commissioner in Sind of 30th January 1908, he pointed out that the measures hitherto adopted had been : — (a) The observance of a close season from 15th April to 1st October each year, during which the removal of oysters is prohibited. (6) The licensing of fishermen engaged collecting oysters for the market. ( Cultch is the technical term for any hard material deposited upon oyster banks to improve the bottom and afford increased surface suitable for the attachment of oyster spat. 11 / a muddy creek, the> Vad, opposite Shams Pir Island, was selected and here various lots of tile cultch were laid down from time to time, and the removal of oysters from this creek was interdicted. 41. No results of any value are recorded from these later experiments, owing again, it is said, to the impossibility, for lack of watchers, of guarding the growing oysters from the depredations of ths oyster-men. As I was afforded an opportunity of visiting tho Vad creek, I shall defer further observa- tions upon this culture experiment to the following section, where particulars will be given of the condition in which I found the culfcch deposited in this place, merely remarking that the extreme softness of the muddy bottom of this creek makes it very unsuitable for culture experiments. IV.— NARRATIVE OF THE INSPECTION"; PRESENT CONDITION OF THE BEDS. 42. Karachi Backwater. — After some preliminary enquiries, the inspec- tion of the oyster beds was commenced by an examination of those situated in Karachi backwater. Mr. G. W. Judd, Head Customs Preventive Officer, was kindly permitted to act as my guide and this was the best selection possible seeing that Mr. Judd is the officer who in 1891 drew the attention of the authorities to the distressful condition of the oyster beds ; in the course of his long connection with the Karachi Preventive Service he has had unrivalled opportunities to become acquainted with the distribution of oyster beds on the Sind Coast. 43. Accordingly on 25th October 1009, piloted by Mr. Judd, I proceeded from Keamari in the Customs' launch to explore the western section of the Karachi backwater where alone edible oysters occur in beds. FiG. 1. SKETCH or KARACHI BACKWATER. BACKWATER Scale in Nautical miles. 0 ' / i 3 1 j i i i ••:• v.: = Oyster beds. 12 44. As will be seen from the sketch plan (Fig. 1) given above, the back- water in outline is almost an isosceles triangle, the axis directed almost east and west ; the apex terminates blindly and is the point furthest removed from the seaward entrance east of Mauora Point. The apex is also at the opposite extremity of the backwater from the embouchure of the Laiari River. It is in this quiet apical cul-de-sac that the only oyster beds are found ; they lie south- ward of the Mauripur Salt-works and are generally referred to as the Nawa Nar or Nai Nar beds. 45. On our way there, we landed on the beach of Shams Pir Island immediately in front of the Fish-curing Yard. The tide was falling rapidly, exposing a long stretch of gently shelving muddy foreshore. In the lower part the mud is deep and soft, but at the higher levels a considerable amount of shingle and water-worn pebbles is intermixed. In the March preceding our visit one of the Karachi oyster dealers used this beach as a laying ground for a cargo of Kutch oysters. Part had been sold and a large number had died, I was informed ; a fair quantity still remaind alive and upon their valves as well as upon the dead shells scattered around, was a fair show of brood oysters, varying in approximate age (the rate judged by my experience of the growth of oysters near Madras) from 1 week to 1 month, suggesting thereby that the spatting season at Karachi is identical with that of oysters in the Madras Presidency — September and October. 46. The general size of these Kutch oysters was relatively enormous ; some were over 8 inches long and proportionate in thickness. They had the appearance of being very old and I judged that the beds they came from had not been worked for any length of time — virgin beds such as the Sind ones were when first fishing began there. For table use these oysters are much too large and coarse ; for canning and cooking they would serve admirably, while the empty shells would make excellent cultch for the purpose of spat collection owing to their great size, irregular shape and the deep concavity of the inner surface. To judge from the general form of the valves and the apparent habit of growth they appear to be closely related to the Portuguese oyster (Ostrea angulata), differing conspicuously in one particular only — the colour of the adductor muscle scar. In the Portuguese and also in 0. cucullata^, the Madras species, this scar is of an extremely deep purple tint ; in the Kutch oysters seen at Shams Pir Island and all Sind oysters subsequently examined, the scar is colourless as in the English native, 0. edulis. 47. Shams Pir Fish-curing Yard has a reputation for the excellence of its products, I was told. I noticed that the surface of the drying ground con- sists of water-worn pebbles ; this I have no doubt accounts largely for the excellent dried fish sent out of the yard, as it is the experience of Scots curers of dried cod that a boulder-covered beach is the most suitable drying ground for ensuring the best results. Scicena spp., locally known as sua, is cured here in large quantities. On arrival it is salted and left in heaps till the follow- ing day when it is spread to dry, being turned as needful. 48. From this yard we crossed to the western side, and in passing I may notice that the core of the island, as shown by several excavations made in search of fresh water, consists entirely of water-worn gravel, pebbles, and boulders such as a swiftly flowing river would accumulate along its course through rocky country. Shams Pir represents very probably a remnant of the gravel beds deposited by the Laiari river before Karachi backwater began to form. 49. From the northern side of Shams Pir we took a canoe up Vad creek to the place where Mr. Judd has thrice laid down quantities of cultch and live oysters. The creek is a short and narrow feeder of the main channel. The flats on either side are densely clothed with well-grown mangrove bushes ; the banks and bed consist of soft mud. The place where the culture experiments htive been made is just above low tide level. Here as elsewhere the mud is very soft and it was at once obvious that much of the material deposited had been engulfed. An odd oyster of mature size was seen to be alive here and there, but the bulk of those that survived at the end of a few weeks after deposit were stolen, according to Mr. Judd, and of the remainder almost all died oft' W The species common to Ceylon and Madras is identified in Prof. Herman's Report on the Ceylon Pearl Fisheries, but I believe farther scrutiny will show it to bq distinct therefrom. 13 • eventually. The first loads of cultch, tiles and dead shells, were deposited in February 1904 ; in consequence of these becoming covered with mud, further lots of cultch, chiefly oyster shells, were laid down in the same place the follow- ing August, and in February of 1905 a boat-load of stones was added. Quan- tities of mature oysters were deposited as spat producers on several occasions in the same place. 60. All the tiles, stones, and shells not yet buried in mud, were slimed with fine mud and diatom scum, most inimical to spat attachment. By careful search I did however find four living oysters attached to tile fragments. They were well grown and I judged the age to be approximately about 1^ year, the lengths varying from 3| to 4J inches. Among clumps of dead oyster shells, abundance of sponges of several species flourished, nudibranchs were plentiful, together with some Turbo and boring molluscs — a faunal association similar to that characteristic of the oyster beds in Pulicat Lake near Madras. 51. Returning to the main channel running northwards from Shams Pir, we followed it up till we came to the Nawa Nar beds opposite the landing pier at the end of the road leading from the Mauripur Salt Works. At this place a few patches of rock outcrop and several shoals occur made up largely of pebbles and small boulders. Upon the higher parts of these rocky patches and gravel deposits a Coxcomb oyster is found in profusion, while at and above low tide level the remnants were seen of what formerly must have been extensive beds of the local edible oyster. Here and there a few remained but they were scattered and sparse. These oysters patches exhibit every appearance of being thoroughly worked out. However, even in the present depleted condition I am given to understand that a man can still collect enough during spring tides to make it worth while visiting the beds occasionally. 52. Nawa Nar possesses many qualities which fit it either to sustain a natural oyster bed or to be converted into artificial oyster-parks. Natural cultch abounds — pebbles, gravel, and dead shells. By their presence in quantity the bottom is sufficiently consolidated to obviate any danger of oysters here sinking into the mud. Diatom food is plentiful — the mud flats and creeks surrounding Nawa Nar grow them iu myriads. Not least in value among the natural advantages of this spot is the well-marked scour maintained by the tidal flow particularly during the ebb when the drainage of the great area of high-lying flats westward of Nawa Nar courses like a mill-race over the gravels between the reefs which uncover before half-tide and thereafter gradually narrow the waterways to a fraction of the high-tide width. The heavy scour thus produced prevents any undue accumulation of mud upon the oyster flats margining the low-tide channel. 53. In the preceding section some account has been given of the culture experiments made at this place. At the time of my visit a considerable quan- tity of the broken Mangalore tiles laid down in 189S were still in evidence, proof of the stability of the surface of these gravel flats. Those lying on the higher levels were thickly crusted over with Coxcomb oysters while a couple of well-grown edible oysters were found on tile fragments near low-tide limit. 54. With the exception of the Nawa Nar gravels and reefs and the Shams Pir eastern beach, the bottom of the backwater is everywhere either soft mud or fine sand. As the tide recedes — there is a vertical fall of over 9 feet at ordinary springs — the channels gradually narrow till at low-water of a spring ide, nine-tenths of the area becomes exposed — a vast expanse of soft mud surround- ing patches of mangrove scrub. But whilst such areas are valueless for oyster culture because of the softness of the surface, they afford suitable life conditions for the window-pane oyster, Placuna placenta, which flourishes there and provides a remunerative seed-pearl fishery from time to time. 55. The day following the visit to Nawa Nar was occupied with prepara- tion for a week's tour of the Indus creeks. The Customs sailing yacht '" May Queen " was kindly placed at my disposal and with Mr. Judd again as guide we left Karachi at 4 a. m. on 27th October, the weather fine and the sea smooth, but with a strong swell from the W.-N.-W. B 695—4 14 56. From daybreak to 8 a. m. (standard time) great numbers of bonito were observed jumping in every direction as far as the eye could see. Their number must have been enormous. Gulls were numerous distributed generally. The sea at this time was olive green and fairly clear, the distance from land from three to four miles. Only a single fishing boat was in sight. At 9 a. m. (standard time) the bonito had ceased jumping. 67. A couple of hours later we entered the mouth of Khudi creek. The northern bank is slightly above high tide level and is fringed with low sand hills. On opposite sides of the estuary about three miles in, a group of fisher- men's huts was seen, a few boats moored along the shore. The end of .October marks the beginning of the prawning season, which lasts till the end of the cold weather in the early part of March. Most of the men occupying the huts were engaged in this fishing. Opposite the encampment on the left bank we saw a long range of prawn stake-nets, a sleeve net-trap fastened between each two stakes ; further up the creek we encountered another set. The night previous to our arrival, two maunds of prawns were taken by one set alone. 58. All the men we questioned declared that no live oysters now exist in this creek or its branches ; one man whom we met in the narrow canal connect- ing Khudi and Khai creeks said he knew a side creek three miles back where there are three beds or patches of oysters all dead, covered more or less with mud. Mr. Judd believes the cause of death to be silt, but I cannot hazard any definite opinion. Commander Shopland in 1897 recorded 5 beds of oysters to exist in Khudi creek ; these are certainly now all dead. Possibly the oysters died from silting ; more probably, judging from what I saw elsewhere, overfish- ing and the omission to put back on the bed any of the old shell cultch removed along with the li'ving oysters, caused a lowering or degradation of the sur- face of the bed to such an extent that the cultch left eventually became lower than the surrounding mud surface, when the tendency would be for mud to drift into the hollow so formed, fouling and covering the cultch remaining. It may be, too, that the wholesale destruction of mangrove jungle along the banks of these creeks has led to increased erosion of the mud flats in some places. .Formerly these great muddy plains, usually just overflowed at high spring tides, were densely covered with mangroves — thousands of dead 1'oots are yet to be seen ; firewood cutters destroyed this jungle and no efforts have been made to plant up these denuded areas. To-day they are naked mud flats readily eroded along the margin now that the protective silt-arresting mangrove scrub is destroyed. As a land-reclaiming agency, as a source of firewood, and as a grazing for camels, the re-planting of these mud flats appears to me extremely desirable. 59. Before passing through to Khai, we paid a visit to Faetor or Firti creek, a branch channel opening through the right bank, to inspect some beds of window-pane oysters (Placuna). Two separate beds were seen, the first con- sisting of the remains of a bed of full grown oysters fished this year; the other, much more extensive and a little higher up the creek, of immature individuals. These latter were exceedingly numerous. Our men brought up the oysters in handsful ; they described them as lying thick one over the other, so abundant that one could walk over the bed without sinking into the mud. The shells formed a veritable pavement. Earlier in the year the bed of mature oysters had been fished by the lessee of the Placuna fishery and when this was exhausted he was permitted to thin out the immature bed as it was considered that this by lessening the overcrowding would contribute to the more rapid growth of the remainder. I measured '20 of these immature individuals ; the largest was 5^X 5 inches, the smallest 4 by 4 inches, the average being 4^ by 4£ inches. Asso- ciated with these Placunae in Firti creek were huge colonies of a papyraceous and foliaceous Polygon, apparently akin to Lepralia. One cluster measured a foot in length by 8 inches in width. Anomia, the bastard oyster, some quite young, was frequent, attached to valves of Placuna. Small crabs and a colour- less Alpheus sought shelter in the folds of the Lepralia clusters. Some fine bydrozoa were also present but no algae were seen. 60. Birds were numerous. Several pelicans and spoonbills marched along the shallows and several wild duck were shot. Gulls and snippets abounded. Khudi creek was full of fish ; mullet of fine size were seen in quantity together 15 with great shoals of small silvery fishes. At one place two porpoises were seen in pursuit of fish. 61. More noticeable however than all these larger creatures was the vast abundance of spherical free-floating algae. In all the creeks we pased through this day — even some little distance seawards of Khudi mouth (as also in Karachi harbour) the water was turbid and choked with an extraordinary profusion of hollow brown spheres. The interior was filled with water, the cellular tissue being limited to the walls of the thin containing capsule. In size these brown dotted spheres ranged • from a pin's head to 1 inch in diameter. These algae must be of immense food value and their abundance is probably to be correlated with the large quantities of prawns now in the creeks. 62. At 4-30 p.m. we returned to the " May Queen " which we found grounded in the narrow canal forming a passage from Khudi to Khai. When the tide began to flow shortly after, which it did with great strength, two currents were seen in opposition at the place we grounded, one coming from Kbai, the other from Khudi. As soon as the tide had risen sufficiently we passed through the canal into Khar creek. Two beds of oysters were said to exist in Khai creek but time was pressing and as they were reported to be similarly condi- tioned to others to be seen further on we proceeded the next morning along the connecting creeks into Pitiani, anchoring at 10 a. m. off the village ot Sappatari, two small collections of huts close to the seaward entrance. Fishermen and camelmen form the scanty population, the former busily engaged in prawning, the latter in grazing their herds among the mangroves higher up the creek. The low sand hills which adjoin the village are said to have been formerly the haunt of numerous snakes, whence the village is said to derive its name. 63. When the tide had receded sufficiently we took our small boat and rowed up Mall creek which connects with Pitiani near the seaward end. The side creeks of Mall and Dumbri were reported to contain the best beds of oysters remaining in this neighbourhood. The first we came to was just within the entrance to a narrow side-creek off the Mall main channel. The mud banks were steep and it was in fact only a drainage gully ; at low tide a mere dribble of water was passing through it. The land on each side is a dreary mud flat covered with a few inches of water at high- water during spring tides ; here aud there at long intervals the bareness was accentuated by the presence of a scrubby mangrove bush. The patch of oysters seen at this place was located to one side and at a slightly higher level than the central runnel of water left at low tide, as is shown in the diagram below (Fig. 2). At the level of the patch the surrounding mud is exceedingly soft, little better than an ooze. FIG. 2 Section of Ma// side - creek at low- tide showing altogether prohibitive. B 696— 8 30 122. The confluence of Kadero and Kuranji creeks offers some poten- tiality of improvement under intelligent treatment, but the only really suitable localities for culture work on an extensive scale are Karachi backwater and the estuary of the Hab river. 123. The first step in culture will be to ascertain the spawning season. To do this, it will be necessary to examine adult oysters every week or fort- night from May till October ; the progressive development of the milky white reproductive glands enveloping the liver and alimentary canal — the fleshly mass lying between the hinge and the adductor muscle — must be noted and as soon as the glands begin to swell and the sperm or ova flows out readily from punctures made in the gland upon the application of gentle pressure, a quantity of limed tiles made up into small bundles should be immersed at intervals of ten days at low tide level in the neighbourhood of a quantity of mature oysters. The place I recommend for the experiment is Nawa Nar near the Maurypur Salt Works. Here is a large stretch of firm and stable bottom, plenty of natural cultch and a certain number of mature oysters, I cannot say if there be now a sufficiency of the latter present ; fishing has been actively carried on here of late years and I think it is probable that a supply of old oysters to constitute a breeding stock will have to be provided, preferably from Kutch or Sonmiani, as large sized oysters are still procurable there. If any be procured from Kutch, care should be taken to import them during the cold season and effect their transport rapidly, as I understand there has frequently been great mortality among oysters imported from Kutch owing to head winds entailing a prolonged sea passage. 124. The place where the breeders are deposited should be fenced in with a palisade of such a description as will demarcate the ground occupied but at the same time offer no considerable resistance to the ebb and flow of the tide. PI. 1, fig. 2 shows a form of palisade in use in France to protect oyster parks from the depredations of fishes. The bundles of limed tiles may be placed either within or without the demarcated area; in France spat collectors are usually outside and placed as far out in the channels as possible. In several experiments made at Ennore near Madras I bound the tiles into bundles consisting of 4 or 5 tiers of two tiles iu each tier, each alter- nate row being laid ac right angles to the one under it. Ordinary semi-cylin- drical country tiles are the most suitable form to employ ; Mangalore tiles are not of a useful shape. All the tiles in the bundles should be arranged concave side downwards as this arrangement contributes distinctly to keep this surface free from sediment ; it also provides shady sheltered nooks for attachment such as oyster spat particularly love. 125. Were the tiles employed to receive no preliminary treatment this would not militate against a rich spat fall upon their surfaces, but it would have the great disadvantage that the brood oysters obtained could not be removed without usually fatal injury except by breaking the tile into frag- ments. To obviate tbis a process of covering the tile with a thin> friable, and easily detached coating of lime mortar has been devised. The oyster spat therefore adhere not directly to the tile but to this thin coating and when it is desired to remove them, this can be done readily and without damage to either oysters or tiles, by flaking off the lime by a series of short smart blows administered by means of a chisel-shaped knife. 126. The actual process of liming tiles as practised in France and Holland is described in detail in my report on " The Practice of Oyster Culture at Arcachon and its Lessons for India," forming Bulletin No. V of the Madras Fisheries Bureau. A description, illustrated with a series of photographs and figures, of the large crates in which the French oyster farmers pack their tile collectors is given in the same publication, a copy of which should be given for guidance to the officer to be charged with the operations now recommended. 127. During the first season's experiments, only small bundles of tiles ueed be used. Each should bear a metal label impressed with a serial number. Sind Oyster Fishery Report. Plate I. FIG. i. Liming of tile-collectors, Arcachon, France. FIG. 2. Cases of tile-collectors, placed in position. Arcachon. 31 If a series of bundles be deposited in a suitable place at ten-day intervals from say 1st July to 15th October and these be examined and the attachment or not of spat noted carefully at regular intervals, it will be easy to determine with approximate accuracy the date of general spawning. Once this be ascertained, spat collection on a much more extensive scale should be attempted in the following season. If the ground be well consolidated, parallel rows or walls of loose tiles 3 or 4 tiers high may be employed. The rows should run parallel with the direction of the channel, so that the tiles may be laid at right angels to it. Or the crates referred to above may be used ; these are particularly useful on soft or muddy ground. 128. If the experiments prove successful and a large harvest of spat be obtained, the brood oysters should not be removed from the tiles till they attain a diameter of f or f inch. Under the favourable conditions for growth found in India, this will probably be attained within a month or 5 weeks from the date of attachment to the tiles. When this size is reached, the oysters should be stripped from the tiles and laid out on firm bottom protected by palisades from fish and the transporting action of tidal currents. Once it be demonstrated that oyster spat can be obtained by the outlay of a comparatively smalt expenditure of labour and expense, there should be little difficulty in persuading those interested in the oyster trade to enter upon the simple form of culture here advocated. Particulars of how to treat the growing oysters, how to protect them from crabs, fishes, and passive enemies are given in detail in my Madras Bulletin so that it is needless to recapitulate these here. 129. With every extension of culture in the Nawa Nar neighbourhood, the richness of the spat fall will increase. At Arcachon the whole of the annual production, averaging over 350 millions of saleable oysters, is the product of spat emmitted by oysters under cultivation. The physical characters of Karachi backwater are not unlike those of Arcachon and I see no reason why a very extensive culture production should not be yielded by the western section of the former. I believe too that the cost of oysters reared there, from spat artificially collected, should compare very favourably with the expenses now involved in sending boats and men to the creeks to collect from the natural beds. 130. One great advantage over French culture grounds possessed by Karachi is the greater rapidity of growth which characterises oysters in India. From my observations in the creeks, I am fully assured that marketable size is attained in about two years from the date of being spawned, and possibly this period may be reduced under cultivation. In the extreme south of India the growth is much more rapid than this — I have note of oysters which have attained a size 2'90 X 2'70 inches within the incredibly short period of seven months and others which measure over 4 inches by 3 inches within 9 months — the latter a suitable size for market. Such pbenominal growth I do not expect to occur at Kardchi, but if fat, well-grown oysters can be reared within 2 years as I am certain can be done, there should be a fine future in store for Karachi oyster-culture. 131. Administration. — I trust it will not be considered presumtuous on my part if 1 round off this report with the recommendation that the whole of . the actual work of surveillance and experiment be entrusted to the officers of the Sea-Customs, the general direction of the operations to be undertaken resting with the Collector of Karachi. There are two cogent reasons for the Customs Authorities being entrusted with all executive duties relating to coastal fisheries in the case of Sind. In the first place they maintain already a preventive staff whose duties involve the patrolling of the coast line and so give them unrivalled opportunities to ascertain and to control air fishing operations in the creeks and backwaters. If the Customs be given charge of this work, any extra establishment to be entertained will be most modest. The supervision and inspection of the creek oyster beds may indeed be dovetailed very largely with the ordinary duties of the Customs Preventive Staff. A second reason is that the Chief Collector of Customs is already in 32 control of the Sind Pearl Fishery and as the pearl oysters (Placuna placenta) and the edible oysters frequently live together in the same creeks it would scarcely be reasonable to place the new work under any other department. At present the Customs have no official connection with the edible oyster industry. The only executive duty, that of inspecting cargoes of oysters brought into Karachi Port, is carried out by the Port Officer's Department, an arrangement due, I believe, to the fact that some years ago the then Port Officer, Commander Shopland, was an ardent conchologist and was requested to take up this work owing to his special interest in it. This personal reason having passed away, it will be well if the control of the pearl and edible oyster fisheries be amalgamated under one and the same Department. JAMES HORNELL. Tuticorin, 4th March 1910. BOMBAT: PBI.MTED AT THE OOVEKWMENT CENTRAL r YH RETURN TO the circulation desk of any University of California Library or to the NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Bldg. 400, Richmond Field Station University of California Richmond, CA 94804-4698 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS • 2-month loans may be renewed by calling (510)642-6753 • 1-year loans may be recharged by bringing books to NRLF • Renewals and recharges may be made 4 days prior to due date DUE AS STAMPED BELOW PEC 1 9 2D03 DD20 15M 4-02