THE OYSTER. ■ 59 



which we stored the water whenever it was possible, 

 served as a reservoir from which to decant, the supply 

 pipe allowing nothing to pass into the experimental 

 claire except clear water." 



**This arrangement completed, the products of arti- 

 ficial fecundation, impregnated in various ways, were 

 poured into the experimental reservoir. This took 

 place in the second week in June." 



"According to our belief, we hoped to find some 

 spat on the collectors placed in the experimental claire 

 at the end of the same month or by the beginning of 

 the month of July. M. Tripota, who had taken an ac- 

 tive part in the work, and who took my place in my 

 absence, continued to supply the claire with fertilized 

 eggs and mobile embryos." 



** The time assigned for experimental proof having 

 arrived, the collectors were examined, but they did 

 not bear any apparent trace of spat. This was a de- 

 ception. Meanwhile, thinking that the season for the 

 fry had not yet begun in the Gironde, we expected 

 happier results from our final experiments. The claire 

 was emptied, and some modifications were introduced 

 in the management of the water, and from day to day 

 mixtures of the generative products were again poured 

 into the claire." 



" On the 24th July the tiles were examined. This 

 time all had spat attached. It was therefore evident 

 that the first experiments had not been as unsuccessful 

 as we had supposed. In fact, each of the tiles im- 

 mersed had young oysters attached, to the number of 

 twenty or thirty, measuring about a centimeter (two- 

 fifths of an inch) in diameter. This spat was evidently 



