380 Voycifje of the Novara. 



a net annual return of £120,000 sterling, the yearly return 

 had sunk to £10,000, of which nearly one-half was consumed 

 in the attendant expenses. Now-a-days the work is gone 

 about more circumspectly, a scientific examination having 

 been made by a native naturalist. Dr. Kelaart, of all the 

 oyster banks on the west coast. We had the pleasure, while 

 at Colombo, of becoming personally acquainted with this 

 very able, unassuming gentleman, who presented us with 

 several memoirs of his own, touching upon the latest facts 

 that had been ascertained with reference to the pearl oyster. 

 One special result of his various researches has been the 

 demonstration of two facts of the utmost importance to the 

 pearl fishery, and which hitherto had not been fully ascer- 

 tained — that this mollusc possesses locomotive powers ; that 

 its occasional disappearance is perfectly natural ; and that, 

 moreover, the pearl oyster may, without any injury, be 

 transplanted from one locality to another — nay, even from salt 

 to brackish w^ater. The first-named observation explains 

 the occasional disappearance of the pearl oyster from certain 

 beds,* even when they have not been inordinately thinned 



* Tliis singular property of the oyster, in vii-tue of wliich it can be fed to aa 

 confirmed obesity as a prize-ox, and admits of nearly as much dexterity in " crossing," 

 if we are to trust the palates of " gourmets," as the Southdown and Leicester breeds 

 of sheep, has received its most extraordinary development in tlie vicinity of New 

 York, where the amoimt of capital sunk in the oyster trade considerably exceeds 

 j61,000,000! The finest of these are transferred as spa\\ai fi-om the beds in the East 

 River, or Long Lsland Sound, to the " nurseries," whicli are situated in the bracldsh 

 water near the head of the tide-M^y, just below the " Highlands of tlie Hudson." 

 Here they are carefully tended for some months, till, tlieu' education being completed, 

 they are re -transferred to their native beds, and fed there with oatmeal daily ; 



