1254 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



been a fall of spat sufficient to produce these in the pre- 

 ceding season. And, in fact, Mr. Hall states that in 

 1857-8 there was an "abundant' spat, and that the, 

 weather during the spatting months was " fine." Mr. 

 Hall further observes that, until 1860-61, "no register was 

 kept of the produce of the natural banks," so that nothing 

 is accurately known of the yield of the beds in 1857-58, 

 or the subsequent years up to 1 860-61. 



Now it is to be observed that in these years, as in 

 those which preceded them, fishing was " permitted with- 

 out restriction from the first of November to the first of 

 April," the only condition being that oysters less than five 

 centimetres (about two inches) across must not be taken ; 

 and it was only in 1 860-61 that the new restrictive regula- 

 tions came into force, the fishing being limited to not more 

 than fourteen days in the whole season, and less than three 

 hours in each day, on the average. 



And what followed upon the adoption of these severe 

 regulations ? Simply that for five years the oysters on the 

 natural beds steadily and rapidly diminished. 



In 1861-2 19,000,000 were taken. 

 1862-3 15,097,320 

 1863-4 5,154,170 

 1864-5 2,697,460 ,, 

 1865-6 2,012,940 ,, 



Then comes a very slight improvement : 



1866-7 3,266,730 



1867-8 3,711,730 



1868-9 3,648,230 



In 1870 a large number of oysters were killed on the 

 beds by the great heat of the summer, and no fishing was 

 permitted. 



