OYSTER CULTURE IN ENGLAND. 343 



marked with a certain annual value, those of Emsworth 

 being valued at 6s. 8d. 



Looking back through the haze of centuries, in fact, 

 there is no apparent limit to be found to the time of the 

 laying down of the oyster in the waters of the harbours 

 now called " Langston," "Emsworth," and " Chichester." 

 In making excavations for the formation of new beds a few 

 weeks back at Hayling, through a morass that must have 

 been a morass for ever, the remains of a skeleton were 

 found which had been interred in the ancient manner, with 

 the knees drawn up to the chin, and with the remnants of 

 oyster and other shells with it. A few moments after ex- 

 posure to the atmosphere the bones fell into indistinguish- 

 able form in dust. The natives of the island, so it has 

 been said, aver this to have been the remains of the man 

 \vho first tasted an oyster ! 



The natural capabilities of the coast line and indented 

 creeks of Hayling Island for artificial aids in the culture of 

 the oyster, which for unknown centuries had bred there 

 first led, in 1865, to a private and successful attempt at 

 raising spat, and afterwards to the formation of a company 

 to enable the work to be carried out on a requisite scale. 

 This Company have so far been most fortunate, although 

 no returns will be seen for the outlay of capital in the rais- 

 ing of spat alone for two years to come, and its experience 

 even thus far in the somewhat uncertain business of oyster 

 raising is worth some attention from all who may have a 

 weakness for the " inhabitant of the shell," or may take an 

 interest, business or otherwise, in pisciculture. 



The first great experiment made by the Hayling Oyster 

 Fishery was made on the site of some old salterns at the 

 south east extremity of the island, the entire water area 

 experimented in being about 3^ acres. The results of the 



