'J 2 THE OYSTER, 



be formed by examining its results upon such beds in 

 England and France as have records upon the sub- 

 ject. The most instructive of these are the records of 

 the production of the beds of Cancale Bay, on the 

 northwest coast of France, which extend over a period 

 of sixty-eight years — from 1800 to 1868. The beds 

 in the bay comprise an area of about 150 acres, and 

 from 1800 to 18 16 produced from 400,000 to 2,400,- 

 000 a year. This, however, was the period of the Na- 

 poleonic wars, and the fishing was much disturbed by 

 the presence of the English cruisers. During this time 

 the beds became so thickly stocked that the oysters 

 were said to be a yard thick in some places. After the 

 close of the war the fishing improved, and the oysters 

 were removed in larger and increasing numbers until 

 1843. From 1823 to 1848 it was supposed that the 

 dredgers were living upon the oysters accumulated 

 during the period of enforced rest from 1800 to 18 16. In 

 1 8 17 the number of oysters produced was 5,600,000, 

 and until 1843 there was a constant increase, the num- 

 ber taken in the latter year being 70,000,000. In 1848 

 it was 60,000,000 ; thenceforward there was a constant 

 decrease. From 1850 to 1856 the decrease was from 

 50,000,000 to 18,000,000, supposed to be the effect of 

 overdredging. From 1859 to 1868 the decrease was 

 from 16,000,000 to 1,079,000; the oysters having 

 almost entirely disappeared from the beds, though, on 

 account of the suffering condition of the inhabitants 

 of the shores, it was almost impossible to prevent it. 

 In 1870 there was a complete wreck of the bottom, 

 which could only be remedied by a total prohibition 

 of the fisheries for several years. 



