OYSTER CULTURE IN ENGLAND. 389 



white adductor muscle mark ; very large drab beard ; 

 difficult to open. 



SOLENT. Same variety as Poole natives ; round shape ; 

 3 inches by 3 inches. Externally convex shell, sharply 

 serrated ; thin, flat shell ; assumes pink and bluish tinges 

 when fresh. Internally very fresh, sweet, sharp, rich, 

 delicate flavoured fish ; drab colour and mantle ; easy to 

 open. 



An exceedingly fine specimen of this species (Solent) 

 I bought of a Poole fisherman, the shell of which weighed 

 ilb. S^ozs., and the fish i% ozs. It measured 6 inches in 

 length and 5^ inches in breadth. In spite of its size the 

 taste perhaps not so sharp, luscious, and tender as a 

 smaller one would be, was, nevertheless, exceedingly 

 good. 



An oyster was dredged off Christchurch which was in 

 length 7in., breadth yin., circumference i6in., round out- 

 side edge zog-in., and in weight 3^-lbs. 



Wareham River, like that at Whitstable, abounds with 

 Diatoms, which is the reason why oysters planted near it 

 fatten so well ; moreover, the Poole beds are composed of 

 London clay covered with gravel, which is quite sufficient 

 guarantee for the quality of their oysters, which, put in 

 cradles when they are of the size of a shilling, are allowed 

 to attain to that of half-a-crown, when they are removed to 

 fattening beds. The rapidity of growth may be judged 

 from that of a Tagus oyster, 8 inches long, which grew five 

 inches in two years, in these beds. 



Pearl oysters, containing small pearls, were found off 

 Old Harry Rocks 30 years ago. 



