196 THE OYSTER. 



The next step in our inquiry was to find the defects 

 in our system, and to point out the reason for its fail- 

 ure, and this task was found to be an easy one, for 

 the experience of other countries which have passed 

 through the same history gave a clear and simple ex- 

 planation. 



THE CAUSE OF THE EXHAUSTION OF THE BEDS. 



While the reason for the exhaustion of our beds is 

 perfectly clear and simple, the greatest ignorance upon 

 this point exists in the minds of our people. 



Certain writers have attributed the destruction of 

 the oysters to disease, like the pious oystermen of 

 Wellfleet, on Cape Cod, who, after they had extermin- 

 ated their oysters by over-fishing, laid their loss upon 

 Providence, which had, they said, punished them for 

 their sins by inflicting a fatal disease upon the inno- 

 cent oysters. 



Some of the explanations of the destruction of the 

 oysters come from persons who have enjoyed such 

 opportunities for observation and study of the subject 

 that broader views might fairly be expected from them. 



Thus, to explain the disappearance of oysters from 

 the New England coast north of Cape Cod, a well- 

 known conchologist, Dr. Gould, says that he does not 

 believe there were ever any oysters there ; while a very 

 eminent naturalist, Prof. Verrill, holds that the climate 

 of New England has undergone a change within the 

 last century or two, and that it is now too cold for 

 oysters, although a few scattered oysters are found 



