244 THE FISHEEIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Dredge. — "A scoopnet, with a heavy, rectangular iron frame for scraping the sea-bottom. The frame is about 

 three times as lougas high, the two louger sides having sharp edges and serving as scrapers. The net is of 

 heavy twiue, or of iron chain-worli. The rope by which the dredge is manipulated is fastened to the ends 

 of two handles, reaching forward from the ends of the frame." — Bathbun. 



Dreg. — Corruption of dredge. 



Dingy. — A small, sharp-j) rowed, flat-bottomed boat, with a miniature ceuter-board, and half-decked; used for 

 running about the grounds in, and back and forth from vessels at anchor. (Southern.) 



Drift. — The distance gone over while making a single haul of the dredge or dredges. 



Drill. — A small mollusk, the Urosalplnx cincrea. See Borer. 



Drink. — To give oysters a " drink" is to place them in fresh water, over one or more tides, in order that they may 

 expel the salt-water from their systems and imbibe the fresh water. This results in an increase of size and 

 plumpness. This, however, only lasts for a few days. At the end of this time the oysters become lean again, 

 for the increase in size is due to no material growth of flesh, but due entirely to the absorption of moisture. 

 The tissues of oysters, when first taken, are saturated with the ocean brine, and when removed to fresh water, 

 or that which is less salt, the external liquid passes inward more rapidly than the more saline and denser 

 elements within can escape ; the effect being simply to cause the oyster to swell, with no increase of its virtues. 

 When the water in which the oyster is immersed is too fresh, it loses its flavor. It has been suggested, that by 

 immersing the oysters for some days in concentrated brine, and then removing them to ocean water, the 

 plumi^ness would be gained without the sacrifice of the saltness which is so agreeable to the epicure. A simple 

 method of ascertaining whether the oysters increase in flesh or not, would be to take 100 or moi-e from a given 

 locality on the sea-coast, and drying them at 220° Fahrenheit and ascertaining their average weight, and then 

 repeating the process for the same number of like oysters after transplanting. 



Drudge. — See Dredge. 



Drugged. — Past tense of drag (q. v.). A Connecticut man told me : " I heaved my drudge over and drugged the 

 whole lot." 



East Eiveks. — Oysters grown between New Haven, Connecticut, and New York. 



Etalage. — A place on shore where oysters are stored for sale. (France.) 



Eye. — I. Of a scalloi), the edible adductor muscle. (Long Island.) See Heart. 



Eye. — II. The colored circidar mark or cicatrix in the interior of an oyster-shell, near the hinge, where the adductor 

 muscle was attached. 



Fall. — A deposit or set of spawn, or infant oysters. Used also as a verb. (South of England.) 



Fancy Oy^sters. — Superior grades kept at retail, to be opened on the counter and eaten raw. In New York these 

 are "Saddle-Eocks", " Blue Points", etc. . See -Be«c/i. 



Fatten. — To place oysters on floats or in fresh water, just before marketing. See DrinJc. 



Fatten. — To bed down for growth ; also to plant. Not good usage, because confusing. 



Feather-edge. — The new thin growth added to an oyster-shell each season. See Bill. 



Firsts. — Box-oysters. (New Jersey and New York city.) 



Fish.— To fatten. (South of England.) 



Finger Sponge. — Applied to various slender, branching forms ; unmarketable. (Florida Keys.) 



Finger-stall. — In Fairhaven, the protection (of rubber or of twilled cotton) worn on the left hand in opening. 

 See Cot. 



Five-finger. — A starfish. 



Flat. — A flat-bottomed, squaresterned boat used by the oystermen in Prince Edward island. 



Float. — A platform of planks, upon which oysters are piled and subjected to fresh water, before being taken to 

 market. See Fatten. 



Garvey. — A small scow, used to plant oysters, and take them up in for market. (Barnegat, New Jersey.) 



Gauch. — Ofi"al resulting from culling and opening scallops. (Greenwich bay, Rhode Island.) 



GiNGLES. — Various species of Anomia. (Long Island sound.) See Gold-shells ; Silrer-shelU. 



Glove Sponge. — One of the poorest grades of Florida commercial sponges, Spongia tubulifera. 



Gold-shell. — A species of Anotnia. 



Gouge. — The Pinna shell (Gulf of Mexico) ; also the Vermctiis. The reason is, in each case that, lying buried 

 in the sand, when they are stepped on by the bare-feet they make an ugly, gouging wound in the foot. 



Grain (or Grane I). — A fish-spear. (South.) This is a ship term ; in Florida the turtle-graiL?s have only one prong 

 and one barb (half a barb) when anything but a "peg" is used. The fish-grains most approved have two 

 prongs, each half barbed inwardly, and detachable from the pole when the fish is struck. 



Grant. — Stipulated area "granted" by the state for oyster-culture. (Massachusetts.) 



Grass-sponge. — An inferior grade of Florida commercial spouge, Spoitgia cerehrij'ormis. (Florida Keys.) 



Gravette. — The oyster of the bay of Arcachon, France; so called " from the impressions they make on the sandy 

 bottom". 



