226 AMERICAN FISH CULTURE. 



fluidity to a great extent as the time of its emission 

 approaches, and is ejected for a considerable time during 

 the summer. The spat comes forth like mist, and is dis- 

 sipated at once ; each little oyster, although a microscopic 

 mite, perfect in itself. It rises to the surface at first, the 

 same apparatus by which it attaches itself to anything at a 

 later period now acting as a little float. After some hours, 

 its specific gravity increasing, it gradually sinks, being car- 

 ried in the mean time by wind and tide until an opportu- 

 nity is afforded for attaching itself to something. In this 

 interim it is devoured by fish and Crustacea, and as it set- 

 tles to the bottom by its own species and other molluscs. 



Quiet creeks and bays, therefore, without strong tides, 

 and protected from high winds by highlands or forests, are 

 favorable to the preservation and permanent location of 

 young oysters. To such places in the Chesapeake and 

 other southern bays our northern oyster-growers resort for 

 seed oysters, which they plant in favorable locations con- 

 venient to large cities where they are sold. I have seen a 

 good-sized sloop or schooner, which had anchored at high 

 tide on a bank of seed oysters in the Curratoma creek, on 

 the Chesapeake, loaded in a day or two when she was left 

 high and dry, by shovelling them in. 



European writers say that the oyster commences to 

 reproduce when it is three years old, it may earlier in our 

 waters. The young on the coast of England when two 

 weeks old are about the size of mustard seed; at three 

 months old as large as peas; at five months the size of one's 

 little finger nail ; at eight months rather larger than the 



