864 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



Australia, must be patent to anyone who has taken the 

 trouble personally to examine into the subject. It is also 

 clear, from the numerous specimens exhibited from the 

 Australian waters, that the depth up to 10 or 15 feet is not 

 material, although the best oysters are obtained from the 

 shallowest beds, and are grown on a rough, shelly, gravelly, 

 or stony bottom. The most highly prized in New South 

 Wales are those from the rocks or beds where the fresh and 

 salt water mingles at certain seasons of the year ; for in- 

 stance, at the estuaries of the river and vicinity of fresh 



water creeks. 



Ostrea virescens is a rare species, only occasionally 



found at very low tides on some of the numerous islands 

 in Port Jackson. Other species (0. crista-galli and O. 

 imbricata) are obtained from Queensland ; and the " Ham- 

 mer-head Oyster ' : (Malleus albus, Lam.), &c., are found 

 on the Australian coasts, but do not find their way into the 

 market as articles of food. 



The value of oysters in Sydney is from 4/- to io/- per 

 bushel, and are retailed at 6d. to i/- per dozen. 



Those who are desirous of obtaining further informa- 

 tion on this subject will do well to consult the Reports of 

 the Royal Commission on the (Oyster) Fisheries of N.S. 

 Wales, 1877, JSS * & c -> an d the " Proceedings of the Lin- 

 nean Society of New South Wales " for 1881-83, where 

 several interesting Papers will be found on the subject by 

 Dr. J. C. Cox, F.L.S., the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, 

 F.L.S., and Mr. John Brazier, C.M.Z.S. 



