OYSTER CULTURE IN SPAIN. 695 



words, the output of the industry. The quantity of fish 

 may be diminished in two ways, in the one case when the 

 catch exceeds the reproduction, and in the other when the 

 fish are frightened away from the haunts of the fishermen. 

 I quite agree with the views so often expressed as to 

 the difficulties which have hitherto stood in the way of a 

 proper study of the life and habits of the inhabitants of the 

 sea, which is the only thing that would conduce to an early 

 solution of the problem ; but the experience gained from 

 ascertained facts concerning fisheries, throws enough light 

 to induce a conclusion, in any rational mind, in one or the 

 other direction. 



With regard to sedentary species, I do not think there 

 is the least doubt that these can be exhausted by being 

 overfished, or by improper methods of fishing, since it is 

 clear that if a natural oyster-bed, for example, be dredged 

 constantly and no time left for its reproduction, it will 

 amount to the same thing as if one repeatedly dredged 

 stones or other inert material that is, the bottom would at 

 last be perfectly clear of them. 



Such an obvious argument as this needs no confirmation 

 but if any such confirmation were needed, we might cite 

 what has occurred on the north-west coasts of Spain, where 

 until the beginning of the present century, so great was the 

 quantity of oysters in the beds that they were sold at four 

 cuartos, or a little more than one penny per hundred, while 

 the present price averages 1 2 pesetas, or 93. yd., for the same 

 quantity. Even if we take into account the small con- 

 sumption at that time, owing to the defective means of 

 communication, this circumstance is insufficient to explain 

 the enormous difference just mentioned, which points clearly 

 to the complete exhaustion of the beds. 



