136 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSCA. 



built at Cockenzie ; she is a dandy cutter-rigged craft, 

 forty tons burden, assisted with auxiliary screw steam 

 power, for the purpose of dredging oysters during the 

 winter months, and deep-sea trawling during the 

 summer. 



The celebrated " Pandore " oysters are principally 

 obtained from the neighbourhood of Prestonpans. 

 The exclusive right to fish, dredge, and cultivate oysters 

 and mussels, belongs to the barony of Prestongrange, 

 extending as far as the shores of the barony and to the 

 centre of the Forth. During the last century, and the 

 earlier portion of this, the proprietors of the barony 

 were able to maintain control over the fishermen, and to 



regulate the fishing At that date a number of salt 



works existed along the shore, and the oysters taken 

 near them were termed " Pandores," which in Edin- 

 burgh still designates the finest oysters.* According 

 to Mr. Frank Buckland, the oysters on the west coast 

 of Scotland have a very beautiful shell, quite different 

 from those on the east coast of England, and the 

 beard of the oyster is always black, and this is also 

 the case with the Irish, American, and Lisbon oysters. 



Among the 'Antient Cryes of London' we find the 

 following : — 



" We daily cryes about the streets may hear, 

 According to the season of the year ; 

 Some Wellfleet oysters call, others do cry 

 Fine Shelsea cockles, or white mussels buy."f 



Oysters are imported very largely from France ; 

 also from the Netherlands, from the Eastern Scheldt 

 and the Zuyder Zee, and the latter are sold under the 



* ' Report on Oyster Fisheries,' 1876. Letter in Appendix, by 

 Edward Vale, factor for Sir G. G. Suttie. 



| Kirby's ' Wonderful Museum,' vol. ii. p. 233. 



