OYSTER RIBLTOGRAPHY. 319 



1. The influence of tbo soil uimii the Inoi'diii;; ami u'lowtli of oysters is noniplirated by: 

 temperature, especially during the spawning season; sudden alternations of luat and cold 

 due to currents; alti-vMatiou of de])th of water, es])fcially as regards whether the maxi- 

 mum of sun-heat and light concords with low water during the spawning season; 

 velocity of tide; angle of inclination of shore, etc. 



•J. The soil of oyster-grounds may bo made up of materials of any of the great classes 

 of rocks, arenaceous, argillaceous, or calcareous, provided they contain more or less of a 

 fine flocculent highly hydrated silt, rich in organic matter, wliich indicates that Diato- 

 macete, Khizopoda, Infusoria, and olhcr minute creatures abound. 



3. The character and abundance of such organisms in a locality seem to be the true test 

 of a successful oyster-ground. 



4. Although oysters do undoubtedly assimilate copper from water where mine-water 

 containing traces of that metal flows into the soa in the neighborhood of the oyster beds, 

 the copper is chiefly, if not exclusively, contined to the body of the oyster, and does not 

 appear to reach tlie mantle or beard. That tlie so-called green oysters of Essex, 

 Marennes, and other places, on the other hand, .are green-bearded and contain no copper, 

 nor can the moat minute trace of copper be detected in the soil of the oyster-grounds 

 where sucli groeu-bi'arded oysters are produced. 



1871a— Lord, J. Keast. Oysters. <Lei8ure Hour, Ldudoii, September 16, 1S71, 

 vol. XX. i)p. 581-582. 

 Iiiscusses oy.stor seasons from a gastronomical point of view. 



1871b— W——, B. P. Oysters in Ireland. <Nature, Loudon, December 11, 1871, 

 vol. V, p]). 128, 129. 

 A review of 1S7() a. 



1872 a— Be-tram, James G. Touchinij oy-sters. <St. Paul's Magazine, London, 

 1872. vol. 12. pp. 473 e-^ seq. 



1872b — Browne, Orris A. Report to ilio Auditor of Public Accounts ou the Oyster 

 Beds of Virginia. Richmond, Shcpperson & Graves, 1872. 8°, 21 pp. 



A statement of the duties performed by the Virginia oyster inspector during the pre- 

 ceding year, with reference to the general condition of the oyster in<lustry and recom- 

 mendations to the State Legislature, Also contains many extracts from the "Keport of the 

 comini.s-;i()n appointed to inquire into the niethod.s of oyslcr-culture in the United Kingdom 

 and France, with a view to the inl roduction of improved methods of cultivation of oysters 

 into Tnl-uid." Dublin, 1870; an.l otb.-r p.ipers. See 1877c. 



1872 c— Davidson, Hunter. K.pori on the Oyster Fisheries: Potomac River Shad 

 and Herring Fislif i ics, a.nd tin- Water FoAvl of Maryland to his Excellency 

 the Governor, and other Commissioners of the State O. P. Force,- January 

 1, 1872. Annapolis, S. S. Mills, L. F. Colton A Co., 1872. 8°, 48 pp. 



One of the most conipreliensivii of the early reports on tlio oyster industry of Maryland, 

 especially rich in statist ii-al data. 



1872 d— Parliamentary Paper. Return of Particulars of all Inquiries and Exam- 

 inations Hold by the Inspector Appointed by the Board of Trade under 

 " The Oyster and Mussel Fisheries Act, 18(56," and " The Sea Fisheries Act, 

 1868," in Each Year 1868 to 1872; of the Names, Duties, and Salaries of 

 the Persons Employed, etc. London, 1872. 



1873a — Saunders, Silbert. Development of oyster s])at. <Quarterly Journal of 

 Microscopic Science, London, 1873, vol. xni, ])p. 439-440. 



Summary of a popular lecture delivered July 10, 1873, before the East Kent Natural 

 Historv- Society. 



1873b— Timraons, "William E. I.'rport of the ( 'ommandiT of the Oyster Fisheries 

 and Water-Fowl of Maryhuid, t(» his Excellency the Governor, and the 

 -.Commissioners of the State Oyster Police I'orce, January 1, 1871. .\niiap- 

 olis, Wm. T. Iglehart As Co., 1873, 8\ 11 ])i>. 



Discusses the general condition of the oyster lishery of .Maryland in 1H7:!, with reooui- 

 mendationB for further legislation. 



