Madras fisheries bulletin

Gujarat and Kathiawar, (d) the causes which made the
chank fisheries so profitable
in the early years of the
nineteenth century, and (c) the question whether the use
of chank baneles amono- a few sections of several castes
in South India is in the nature of a survival of a once
universal custom or whether it had primarily a totemistic
significance. The origin of the custom of wearing
broad chank bangles by the Buddhist women of Thibet
and the Himalayas is another obscure point.
At some future date I trust to be able to publish an
account of the anatomy and life-habits of the chank,
together with precise details of the many interesting
local races or varieties which are found to characterise
different localities in Indian littoral waters.
To all who have rendered assistance I offer very
grateful acknowledgment of many kindnesses received ;
my office staff have in particular been most zealous in
exploring all the bye-ways of chank-lore within the
bounds of their opportunities and it gives me special
pleasure in having this opportunity to express my thanks
for their most valuable help—my Sub-Assistant, Mr.
J. .A.. Fernandez, more especially has rendered noteworthy
help in all that relates to the connection which has
subsisted between the Parawa community and the chank
industry from time immemorial.