THE OYSTER ABROAD. 277 



ends of each split are pressed together and thrust into the 

 perforated shell, which holds it securely. 



When a sufficient number of bamboos have been pre- 

 pared, they are planted very closely together on the mud 

 flats, much in the same way as a gardener plants cuttings. 

 At the end of about a month, the spat, which had attached 

 itself to them when planted out, has developed into small 

 oysters. The bamboos are then taken up and transplanted 

 about six inches apart. In four or five months the bam- 

 boos are almost hid by the oysters which cluster round 

 them, and which are now collected and sold, (d) 



The shells of the oyster and murex were used by the 

 Romans as tooth-powder, and oyster shells are now used 

 as manure. The Chinese use the shells, when ground 

 down, in certain skin diseases ; and the valves of Ostrea 

 talienwanensis, and of other species of oysters, are calcined 

 until quite white, pulverized, and then mixed with the 

 juice of certain plants, as a dressing for ulcers, (e) 



Fresh oysters are used to cure freckles. 



In the crab traps in China, which are made of bamboo 

 in the shape of a truncated cone, the bait is placed in the 

 middle of the basket, and an oyster is generally used for 

 that purpose. 



The Chinese have three differently sounding words to 

 denote a large, a small, and a round oyster. 



(d) China : " Imperial Maritime Customs, III. Miscellaneous 

 Series, No. u." "Special Catalogue of the Chinese Collection of 

 Exhibits for the International Fisheries Exhibition, London, 1883." 

 (e) "Essai sur la Pharmacie et la Matiere Medicale des Chinois," par 



J. O. Debeaux. 



