APPENDIX. 39 



and when the spat is sufficiently large, to remove them for 

 the stocking of new beds, — a suggestion^ which I should 

 think would certainly answer, if too much weed did not get 

 entangled in them, the spat attach itself to the half-decayed 

 weeds instead of to the wood, and they did not smother the 

 old oysters which happen to be under them. This, however, 

 1 think, like other })oints, is a matter for experiment. Hampers 

 or baskets made similarly to lobster-pots, only without bot- 

 toms, and moored in a similar manner, might answer better, 

 would not destroy the oysters underneath, and could be more 

 easily moved. 1 believe also that sheets of galvanized iron, 

 bent into the form of a low arch, merely touching at the two 

 ends, and sunk with a galvanized wire and a piece of wood 

 attached to find them again, would answer the purpose. 

 Copjier-wire must not be used, or galvanic action will take 

 place. On beds, however, where mud and sand are liable to 

 collect, I should be very cautious in sinking anything, as a 

 mud-bank is soon made, and not so easily got rid of. There is 

 no doubt, however, that any mode that will collect the spat, 

 w^hich would otherwise be destroyed by being washed away 

 with the mud and silt, or deposited on unsuitable ground, 

 would be most desirable, and a great saving of fish. 



Mons. Coste's plan of dividing the beds into zones, and 

 only returning to them every tw^o or three years, would be in 

 many places absolute ruin to the beds, unless the oysters 

 were cleaned and redcposited : they would, in fact, very soon 

 take the form of natural beds which had not been worked ; the 

 oysters would become coarse, covered with barnacles and 

 other ])arasitcs, and adhere together; and the beds would, in 

 fact, have to be rebroken up. 



The police regulations proposed by Mons. Coste are very 

 good, except that 1 think the present fence-month, as I have 

 proposed, would be better extended ; and I do not consider 



