148 J^iiy, 



THE COMMON MUSSEL IN BKEFAST EOUGH. 



BY SIR ROBERT LI^OYD PATTERSON, D.I^, F.I,.S. 



My attention was lately recalled to a note of mine on the 

 above subject which appeared in the hish Naturalist for June, 

 1894 ' ^^^ it ^'^^ suggested that I might bring the information 

 up to date by giving the corresponding figures for the decade 

 that has since elapsed. To save the trouble of referring back, 

 I subjoin the figures given in the number mentioned of the 

 quantity of Mussels {Mytilus edulis) exported from Belfast in 

 the first three months, Januar}^, February, and March, of the 

 following years, viz : — 



1889 4^3 tons. 



1890 256 „ 



1891 233 „ 



1892 5 „ 



1893 I »> 



1894 i'532 „ 



similar returns for subsequent years up to the present being 

 as follow (I am indebted for them to Mr. W. A, Currie, the 

 courteous Secretary of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners) : — 



It will be observed that shortly after the almost blank years 

 1892 and 1893, and again after a comparatively small year, 

 such as 1897, a considerable, in the latter case a very large, 

 increase is shown ; while, on the other hand, a considerable 



