27 
We notice again here that the spat had fixed itself on places where there was 
some shade. Just as on tbe barrel so here, it is on objects which are near the 
surface of the water and often moved by the help of man, that the spat are pre- 
sent in quantity; the collectors were also in shallow water and the anchoring stones 
especially were so hung that the waves could move them. These circumstances 
may be accidental, of that I know nothing with certainty. 
The spat can thus fix themselves on old tarred hoats; this i have observed 
several times; but the tar must obviously be quite dry. On patent paint on the 
other hand, if it is good, as it should be, the spat can scarcely fix themselves; 
I have not found it so in spite of good opportunities. The patent paint is indeed 
used everywhere just to prevent all organisms from fixing themselves to ships and 
thus reduce the ease with which they move through the water, and it serves what 
is wanted better than other stuffs; nevertheless, the algæ begin to make themselves 
at home in the course of some months especially where the sunlight is strong, 
near the surface. ; 
As already mentioned, in 1895 I did not find the spat of the year at other 
places than on »artificial objects«: but I often found the spat of the previous year 
under »natural« conditions, e.g. in the spring (see Table I No. 4 and 5). They 
were found both in shallow and deep water. All the oysters of under 1 inch in 
length in spring could be reckoned partly to this group. If it is asked, where the 
oysters were fixed the answer is, that they were most frequently on oyster shells 
both living and dead, hut also frequently on stones and other dead mollusc 
shells, as e.g. Tapes pullastra and decussatus, Cardium edule, Mytilus 
edulis, Pecten varius, further on both living and dead shells of Balanus, 
Pomatoceros, Buccinum undatum, Littorina littorea etc. 
It is stated by certain authors that our common crab (Carcinus mænas) 
is one of the worst enemies of the young oysters; this however does not prevent 
the spat from fixing itself to the under-carapace of the crab, where the crab might 
easily reach it with its claws and yet does not destroy it. On the lobster we 
very often find a quantity of small oysters; but I have never seen an adult oyster 
either on living lobsters or on dead lobster shells. The skeletons do not keep 
long apparently after the lobster casts them off, perhaps even the lobster eats its 
own shell as a rule. We do not find dead lobster skeletons in the fjord; at least 
I have never seen any. The oyster spat can also fix itself on the hard parts of 
sea-weed (Fucus vesiculosus) and sometimes does so on no small scale. Oyster 
shells and stones are apparently the most common materials on which the oyster 
spat fix themselves. Of stones all sizes are used from the largest to the quite small. 
The oyster does not seem very critical therefore as to the choice of its 
future resting place, a fact that in high degree tells upon the separate individuals 
later; it only seems to seek for hard objects with somewhat clean surface. 
With the fixing a very dangerous period in the life of the oyster is obvi- 
ously completed; but even then it is far from being safe. A number of the spat 
in shallow water for example will certainly be killed by the ice; a quantity will 
be washed on land, for example many of those fixed on the Fucus; often the spat 
are so crowded together that a portion must die from lack of room. Thus in the 
spring of 1895 I found a quantity of dead spat in shallow water and among living 
