686 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



have remarked that certain kinds of edible shell-fish which 

 had become very scarce have reappeared in large numbers. 



Of the section reaching from the gulf of Fos to Lake 

 Thau there is nothing to be said. In the latter, in 1865 and 

 in 1866, M. Coste caused oysters to be placed at points 

 chosen by himself. He wished to restore to these fine 

 sheets of water the oysters which had disappeared from 

 them, and to make Lake Thau an adjunct of the basin of 

 Arcachon. M. Coste had analyzed the water and found its 

 composition to be favourable. The first result did not 

 deceive his expectation. The oysters soon attained a large 

 size and acquired strength and flavour. They propagated 

 perfectly, and the spat attached itself to the fagots arranged 

 for that purpose and to a central rock, which became 

 covered with them. I will remark in passing that the 

 breeding of the clovisse has been very successful there. It 

 is, therefore, an established fact that the oyster is capable of 

 living and multiplying its kind in Lake Thau. How does it 

 happen, then, that private industry has not been induced to 

 come there also by the success of this first attempt, and 

 that it should have forsaken a work so full of promise ? It 

 would, in the future, receive compensation for its labours 

 there. 



Among the other maritime stations where it would 

 seem oyster culture might be profitably carried on, I will 

 mention Lake Leucate, which has already been pointed out 

 by Messrs. Coste and Gerbe as likely to become an oyster- 

 cultural centre, and where, not long ago, there were 

 well-stocked oyster-beds, producing splendid oysters of 

 rare beauty and delicacy of flavour, the finest, perhaps, to 

 be found in the Mediterranean. 



The waters of this lake, a large portion of which is 

 sheltered from the winds, is mixed to a suitable extent 



