CHAPTER XXXVII. 



CURIOSITIES OF OYSTERS, 



STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF OYSTERS 

 GROWTH ON BOTTLES OYSTER GROWING IN A TEAPOT A 

 STRANGE AGGLUTINATION OYSTERS AND MICE THE FOX AND 

 THE MUSSEL THE " WHISTLING " OYSTER SIR RICHARD 

 STEELE'S STORY OF THE OYSTERS. 



THE sober oyster is about the last creature one would sus- 

 pect of forming undesirable connections, or contracting 

 bad habits. Like Diogenes in his tub he keeps secure 

 in his shells, and his very appearance is suggestive of any- 

 thing but the idea of " fast " living. But attachments early 

 formed are with difficulty broken, and, alas ! for the decep- 

 tiveness of appearances, the oyster often takes in early 

 youth to the " bottle" and the " pipe," and sticks to them 

 through life. Many and curious indeed are the objects to 

 which these creatures have been known to adhere. As the 

 dredge of the oyster-fisher is dragged over the submarine 

 colony, it sweeps up many queer articles besides oysters : 

 clay pipes, bottles, old boots, horns and bones of animals 

 are among the miscellaneous catches, and on these a cluster 

 of oysters are often found to have taken up their abode. 

 Sometimes, instead of a quiet, stay-at-home life, an oyster 



is compelled to become a traveller malgre lui ; if he 



DD 2 



