THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. n 



large, brush-like panicle. This contains the staminate or male flowers. 

 Embedded in the green cob of the ear are the pistillate or female 

 flowers. Their pistils make the tassel, which is called " the silk." 

 Upon these falls the fertilizing pollen of the stamens from the raceme 

 above. Without this contact there would be no kernels on the cob. 

 In some plants this bisexuality occurs in the same flower. A notable 

 instance is that of the prolific strawberry known as Wilson's Albany 

 Seedling. A similar fact, certainly an analogous one, is true of the 

 oyster. It is bisexual. It is not masculine alone, nor feminine alone, 

 but both ; and perhaps might be defined by that innovation in modern 

 grammar, as of " the common gender." It is hermaphroditic. 



The question of the parental relation of the young oyster on its 

 paternal side is most certainly a very perplexing one ; for, albeit no 

 matrimonial dereliction was ever known among these Ostrese, yet 

 the fact remains that no oyster was ever begotten that knew its own 

 father. 



If, now, the reader will take a little pains to compare our descrip- 

 tion of the organism of the oyster with Fig. 7, he will see that, how- 

 ever lowly the oyster may be regarded, it has a compact and even a 

 complex anatomical structure, manifestly a beautiful adaptation to the 

 creature's necessities ; and even exhibiting, in a very instructive manner, 

 a wonderful likeness to our own organization. If this seems a startling 

 position, let the reader follow the discussion, and see if it be not made 

 good. If we take an oyster in the hand, it will be observed that, of the 

 two valves or shells, one is much deeper and heavier than the other. 

 This is the bottom or lower valve, because, when lying undisturbed on 

 the bed of the water, it is the under side. The upper valve is often a 

 mere thin plate of shell. It is observable, too, that generally the 

 lower valve is, on the outside, quite convex, while the upper one is 

 usually either flat or a little concave. Let it now be remembered that, 

 anatomically, an oyster has also two sides, and that while living its 

 normal position is to lie on its left side. The valve, then, represented 

 by the cut, is the lower or deep valve, in popular speech, but in scien- 

 tific phrase it is the left valve. The oyster itself is shown as repre- 

 senting what is popularly known as its upper side, the side seen when 

 eaten on " the half-shell ;" correctly speaking, it is the right side of 

 the animal. 



Let us now follow the index-words of the figure. We find a thin 

 sheet of flesh lying on the shell. It is the left mantle, for there are 

 two, one to cover the right side also, so that both together are contin- 

 uous as one, and with it the animal inwraps itself. 



The figure shows a portion of the right or upper lobe of the man- 

 tle. It is sometimes called the pallium, and really is the oyster's 

 cloak, though it is always and only worn in the house. This is not 

 true, however, of all the mollusca. The beautiful cowries, so high 

 colored and bright, are exceptions. If you examine a common tiger 



