70 



large amounts of capital are embarked 



in the culture of this succulent hi valve, 

 especially in France. The hreeding of 

 the Oyster has been carried out on 

 an enormous scale, as can readily be 

 imagined from the accompanying 

 sketcli of an oyster claire or jiiirk. 



In England Oysters are kept in 

 jiits and subjected to a regidar course 

 of feeding witli oatmeal, &c., to i)re- 

 ])arc tlicm for market. Any mode of 

 progression that Oysters may liave is 

 ol)t;iiued by the opening and sliutting 

 (if tlic shells and tlie ejection of the 

 water contained. Some time back a 

 iliscussion arose in the newspajiers as 

 to whether Oysters rested on the flat 

 or ronnd shell, but experiments were 

 iina,l)lc to demonstrate any fact except 

 that they did both or either, at their 

 own sweet will. 



CRUSTACEvE. 



All members of tliis order are protected with a shelly covering, and to it belong all (.'rabs, 

 Orayfish, &c. 



THE HERMIT OlIAB 



( Cenohitit iJioiji'iies) 



Is one of the most interesting of Nature's cajtrices. This 

 gentleman, n(jt having been j)rovided with a house of his 

 own, annexes a large shell which has been vacated and 

 ensconces himself therein. As he grows he changes his 

 hal)itation. When in possession of his shell he is a warlike 

 inilividual ; wlicn evicted through the courscof circumstances, 

 or necessity for a. change of lodging, he is most shame-faced. His hinder jiarts being only 

 covered with a soft sliell, wiiich leaves him unprotected when witliout his shell-house. It may be 

 noticed that the right claw is the larger, and this is used for the pnr^wse of closing up, as with a 

 door, the entrance to his domicile. 



CRAYFISH 



(I'dlinxr/is llniji'llil) 



Have a, vt^ry difiercnt ap])earance alive to what they liave when boiled and lying on the 

 slal) of a tishmonger's sho]) ready ibr sale. It crawls about the tanks in a stately dignified 

 manner, as if quite insulted at tJie idea of being exhibited for sliow. 



('raytish are caught all roimd our coasts whei'c there is a rocdiy foreshore, anil form i[uite an 

 important item of diet. In early summer, when the female carries tlie ova, the fisli are at tlieir 

 best. Tlie ova is known as " coral," and is esteenie<l a great delicacy. 



Mr. E. -I. Allen, B.iSc, Director of the Plymouth Laboratory, has recently devoted mucli 

 time to the study of the English lobster, and in a paper on the reproduction of the lobster he gives 

 some startling figures as to the number of eggs produced by this crustacean. He writes : — 



The number of eggs laid by a, lobster becomes very much greater as the age of the animal advances. This appears 

 to be true both of the American and European species. ' A female 8 inches long, according to Herrick, carries from 3,000 



