The Rise And Decline Of The Ol^mpia Oyster 



is approaching. As he opens an oyster here or there on 

 the beds, he finds first a quantity of white, milky sub- 

 stance, which he know^s to be the first development stage. 

 Later, as it grows and becomes dark, the oysterman 

 knov/s the spawning season is at hand, and that the set- 

 ting time, usually starting early in July, is about three 

 weeks av/ay. The embryo when released from the shell 

 into the water is a free swimming oyster for about eight- 

 een days. 



At this stage of its development the oyster is so small 

 that you cannot see it without a microscope. A fish or 

 something generally swallows it by mistake before it be- 

 comes visible. Only one in a million is lucky enough to 

 grow up and be stewed. It swims around by means of its 

 microscopic cilia, or eyelashes. If it knew its future it 

 would continue to do this the rest of its days, but it 

 starts to develop a shell, sinks to the bottom and fastens 

 itself to a shell or some other type of cultch with a bit 

 of glue which it carries with it for that purpose. This 

 process is called seed setting. 



The oyster plays a useful role because he's edible. 



The way he side steps birth-control is nothing but incredible. 



The sons and daughters he begets are numbered, by the myriad. 



They're known as spats the little brats throughout their baby 



period. 



The Way he multiplies his kind he merits no apologist. 

 And keeping track would wreck the mind of any geneologist. 

 Of course as parents do, he likes his kiddies, sad or humorous. 

 But he cant name the little tykes, because they're too numerous* 



(42) 



