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VALUES AND COMMERCE OF PEARLS 345
4 Kaiyéral, "the clasp of a necklace": a dark-colored treble pearl, not quite round.
5 Machchakai.
6 Vadivu, "beauty,"
also "decreasing" : thatwhichisstrainedorsifted; found in the 100, 200,
and 400 sieves. These small pearls, regular in shape, and of good
luster, are especially favored in the East.
7 Madanku, "folded," or "bent" : all pearls of vadivu size that are imperfect in form or color.
8 Kürüval, "short": deformed and double pearls; they may, however, be of excellent luster. Ani Kürüval: where two ani are fused together, but so formed that if separate they would be perfectly spherical. Pisal Kürüval: where several pearls of good luster and color are fused partially and irregularly together. Pampara Kürüval: a pearl grooved regularly, like a top.
9 Kalippu, "abundance," or "rejected" : inferior to Anatari; a good pearl, may be lens-shaped or elongated ; usually flattened.
10 Pisal, "torn" : a deformed pearl or cluster of small misshapen pearls ; of poor color and of little value.
11 Kural: very misshapen and small.
12 Tul, "powder" : the seed-pearls, those retained by the 600, 800, and 1000 sieves.
In addition to the above designations, the following are also used:
Samadiam: a pearl of a reddish hue; pear-shaped but of dull color.
Nimelai: a nose-pearl, perfect skinned, and pear- or egg-shaped.
Sirippu: a pearl grooved with irregular wrinkle-like furrows.
Kodai, "brown"
: like a nut, with no nacreous luster ; formed of prismatic shell; may
be large, is usually spherical, and includes pearls of various colors.
This name is also used for white pearls with black or brown marks. Van Kodai: a kodai pearl with one side nacreous. Karunk Kodai: a black or blue-black slag-like pearl.
Masi-tiil, "ink-dust,"
or "chalk-powder" : smaller than the 1000 sieve. Generally used for
medicinal purposes, or burnt and eaten with areca-nut and betel by the
natives.
Oddu—or Ottumuttu, "shell-pearl" : an attached pearl or nacreous excrescence on the outside of the shell.
Of the twelve classes named above, the first four are known as the chewü, or superior classes; the next three as the vadivu, or beautiful classes; and the last five as the kalanchü, or inferior classes. The chewü pearls are found only in the first four sieves or baskets; and for this reason these are known as the chewü peddi or "chevvü bas-
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