538 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



also smaller, for now they no longer find the means of 

 subsistence in the exercise of their unlawful employment. 



From an ostriculturist's point of view, the Bay of Brest 

 would seem wonderfully favourable for his operations. 

 But the sea is exceedingly rough in bad weather, and rapid 

 currents cross it in all directions. People recollect, too, 

 how unfortunate and useless were the efforts made there 

 by M. Coste in 1857. From that time no one has dreamt 

 of working these shores, the waters of which are apparently 

 so beautiful and tranquil. 



In 1874, a more determined man, M. Thomas, an 

 engineer, imbued with new ideas as to the method of 

 collecting the spat at a great depth, as to the development, 

 rearing, and parcing of the oyster, obtained from the 

 Minister of Marine the concession called Moulin-Blanc. 

 This part of the bay receives a little current of fresh water, 

 which can be utilised with great advantage. M. Thomas 

 established pares there, and stocked them with oysters. 

 The experiments commenced rest solely on theories of his 

 own ; they are still too recent for us to be able to appre- 

 ciate the result. Hitherto this gentleman has conducted 

 his experiments more as a scientific than as a commercial 

 man. He has studied the Bay of Brest, its water, its 

 ordinary temperature, the winds which usually prevail 

 there, the currents which traverse it ; in fact, everything 

 from which he can expect to derive any advantage. He 

 records with care the observations of each day, and I 

 sincerely hope that so much trouble will not be in vain, 

 both for this indefatigable inquirer and for the science of 

 ostriculture. 



