[15] OYSTER-CULTURE UPON SHORES OF BRITISH CHANNEL. 687 



ers. In addition to the usual police supervision exercised by the agents 

 of the administration, seven guards, paid out of the funds derived from 

 the rents of concessions, two general guards, who receive an allowance 

 from the funds of the society of fishermen, and four sworn guards, ap- 

 pointed and paid by the marine, are charged with this service. 



Moreover, a syndicate, composed of the commissioner of maritime in- 

 scription, as president, the mayor of Cancale, the inspector of fisheries, 

 the syndic of seafaring men, the cashier of the society of fishermen, and 

 two of the pare guards {un garde-pare et un garde d'^etalage), determine 

 each year the assessments to be paid by those holding concessions, and 

 the amount thus obtained is appropriated to the common expenses, such 

 as the wages of the guards, the repair of roads, channels, etc. 



In conclusion, I have had the satisfaction of learning that almost all 

 the grants are now being worked. Ten years ago more than half of the 

 pares were abandoned. 



Le Vivier-sur-Mer. — The pares of Le Vivier-sur-Mer were founded 

 only seven years ago, under conditions analogous to those existing at 

 Cancale. Before this, fishing was almost the only water industry 

 familiar to the inhabitants. 



The beach of Le Vivier greatly resembles that of Cancale. There is the 

 same miry soil, only a little more calcareous, the same rough sea, and 

 the same difficulties to overcome in order to protect from the violence 

 of the waves. But the methods pursued are different, Le Vivier-sur mer 

 being more particularly engaged in the proj)agating of the oyster. 



Development upon the collecting apparatus succeeds there, however, 

 and it would seem that this shore is even more favorable for the rapid 

 development of the mollusk than that of Cancale. 



Before giving the details of the methods of cultivation of the oyster, 

 I will recall briefly the circumstances under which oyster culture origi- 

 nated in this locality. 



The experiments upon reproduction made at different points upon the 

 coast attracted the attention of certain persons, who attempted to capture 

 the swarms of embryos {Jlot de semence) which the oysters emit in the 

 spring, and which up to that time were wasted in consequence of being 

 smothered upon the muddy bottoms. 



The first collecting apparatus placed upon the strand of Le Vivier be- 

 longed to M. Barbet. It consisted of slabs of schist and of hedges of 

 wicker-work, running in the direction of the currents. This first attempt 

 was quite successful. The year following, M. Meury de Villers, having 

 obtained from the Minister of the Marine, who gave every encourage- 

 ment to the experiments, the grant of one hectare of land, constructed 

 pares, and placed in them logs, resting upon which, in an inclined posi- 

 tion, were slabs of schist of a size large enough to resist the force of 

 the currents. Hedges of closely woven basket-work, from 3 to 4 me- 

 ters in length and GO centimeters in height, completed the arrange- 

 ments. This year spawn was abundant, but when the cold and the 



