OYSTER CULTURE IN AMERICA. 753 



to August joth, while the town of Brookham has a town 

 law closing the beds, which furnish the well-known " Blue 

 Point" oysters, from June i5th to October ist. 



In certain counties of New Jersey, the closed season is 

 from May rst to September ist ; in others from July ist to 

 September ist; and in still others from May ist to 

 October ist. 



The public beds of Delaware are closed from April 

 3oth to September ist. 



In Virginia the closed season is from May ist to Sep- 

 tember ist, but any resident may catch two bushels a day 

 for family use, and any owner of planted oysters may catch 

 them at any time, and in any quantity, for family use. 



In Maryland no dredging is allowed be- 

 tween April ist and October i5th, and no oysters in the 

 shell can be carried outside the State between April ist 

 and September ist. 



It will be seen by examination that almost 

 the only thing which these laws have in common is the 

 prohibition of oyster fishing in the summer months, and to 

 this there are exceptions, as some of the Rhode Island beds 

 are open only in the summer, while those of Connecticut 

 are open at all times. This provision, which is borrowed 

 from the laws for the protection of game, is based upon 

 the fact that this time is the spawning season. Game 

 birds soon desert a region where they are disturbed in the 

 breeding season, and as they lay few eggs and care for their 

 helpless young, the destruction of an old bird at this time 

 may result in the death of the whole brood. The pro- 

 vision of the game law, which forbids the capture of game 

 during the breeding season, is therefore a wise one ; but 

 oysters are very different from game birds. They discharge 

 vast numbers of eggs into the water, but they take no care 



