352 GINGLYMACONCHA. OSTREAD. 
days ; though they commonly let them continue there six weeks 
or two months, in which time they will be dark green. 
“‘To prove that the sun operates in the greening of the oy- 
sters, Tolesbury pits will green only in summer ; but then the 
earth has the greater power. Brickel sea-pits green both 
winter and summer ; and for a further proof, a pit within a 
foot of the greening-pit will not green; and those that did 
green very well, will in time lose their quality. 
«‘ The oysters, when the tide comes in, lie with their hollow 
shell downwards ; and when it goes out, they turn on the other 
side: they remove not from their places unless in cold weather, 
to cover themselves in the Ouse. 
“The reason of the scarcity of oysters, and consequently of 
their dearness, is, because they are of late years bought up by 
the Dutch. 
«There are great penalties, by the Court of Admiralty, laid 
upon those who fish out of those grounds which the Court ap- 
points, or that destroy the eultch, or that take oysters that are not 
of size, or throw upon the shore a fish which they term /five- 
finger*, resembling a spur-rowel; because that fish gets into 
the oysters, when they gape, and sucks them outf. 
“The reason why such a penalty is set up on any that shall 
destroy the eultch, is, because if they find that any be taken 
away, the Ouse will increase, and the muscles and cockles will 
breed there, and destroy the oysters, they having not whereon 
to stick their spat. 
«The oysters are sick after they have spat; but in June 
and July they begin to mend, and in August they are per- 
fectly well: the male oyster is black-sick, havmg a substance 
in the fin; the female whzte-sick, as they term it, having a 
milky substance in the fin: they are salt mm the pits, salter in 
the layers, but saltest in the sea.”’ 
Some other observations contained in a work, entitled ‘The 
History of Rochester,’ 12mo., published in 1776, on this sub- 
ject, may not be uninteresting to my readers. 
‘Great part of the inhabitants of the Strood are supported 
* Asterias glacialis, the common star-fish or sea-star. 
+7 This is an erroneous idea; it has no such power. 
