6 THE ECONOMIC M0LLU5CA OF ACADIA. 



Lescarbot speaks of the occurrence of Mussels at St. Croix 

 Island, and referring to the natural productions of the 

 country, says: " I would be forced to make an entire book if 

 I should discourse on all the fishes which are common to the 

 Brazilians, Floridians, Armouchiquois, Canadians and Souri- 

 quois. But I will restrain myself to two or three, after having 

 said that at Port Royal there are great beds of Mussels, with 

 which we filled our boats when sometimes we went to those 

 places. There are also there. Scallops, (Palourdes),* twice as 

 large as Oysters in size; also Cockles, which have never failed 

 us." He makes a few other incidental references to this 

 subject. 



The next work to mention our Molluscs, appears to be the 

 " Description Geographique et Historique des Costes de 

 r AmeriqueSeptentrionale," and the " Historic Naturelle. . . . 

 de r Amerique Septeutrionale," by Nicholas Denys, in 1673. 

 The latter work, especially, contains several references of 

 considerable interest, though of not much scientific import- 

 ance. He knew of the occurrence of the Oyster at several 

 points on the North Shore, notably around George's Bay, at 

 Malagash (?), Tatamagouche, Pictou, at Cocagne and tha 

 Bras D'or Lake. Other Shell-fish he frequently refers to, and 

 mentions their abundance at several places, for instance, the 

 region near Cape Sable, La Heve Harbor, George's Bay, near 

 the mouth of Bras D'or Lakes, Tatamagouche, Miramichi, 

 Bathurst, Port Daniel. He noticed Razor-fish (Coutel- 

 lieres), near Cape Sable, and Scallops (Conniffle), at La Heve. 

 His interesting description of the Squid and of the oyster- 

 fishery, will be noticed under the sections on those animals. 



We have not been able to find that anything on this subject 

 worthy of note was written during the last century. Occa- 

 sional references to the North Shore oyster-beds occur, but 

 nothing further. Charlevoix, in his " Historie de la Nouvelle 

 France," (1744), is said to have referred to the manner of fish- 

 ing Oysters on the coast of Acadia, which was the same as 



* Mr. J. H. Duvar tells the writer that the Acadian French of Prince Edward 

 Island apply this word to the Quahog. It appears to have meant the Scallop to 

 Lescarbot. 



