46 
Chateau d’Oléron, then St. Pierre and finally Boyardville 
and from there returned to the mainland at La Rochelle. 
I had intended going to the Island of Ré also but heard at 
Rochelle that it was much the same as Oléron, so, as my 
time was very limited, I gave it up. After examining the 
shore about Rochelle, and getting what information I 
could, I went on to the bay of Aiguillon to see the con- 
ditions under which mussel culture is there carried on. 
To reach the small villages on the edge of this enormous 
mud-swamp which has been rendered profitable in such a 
wonderful way by means of the ‘‘ bouchot”’ system of 
mussel culture, it is necessary to go by train from Rochelle 
to Marans a small station on the line to Roche-sur-Yon 
and then find one’s way across country for 10 or 12 
kilométres to the shores of the bay. I visited the village 
of Charron and saw the bouchots there. 
I then went on to Roche-sur-Yon and from there to Les 
Sables d’Olonne where there is a huge oyster parce behind 
the harbour with built stone sides. From Sables I went 
to Nantes and from there to the coast near the mouth of the ~ 
Loire in the neighbourhood of Le Croisic, Pornichet, and 
Le Poulignen where there are oyster parcs and claires, and 
at Le Croisic a great inland basin somewhat as at 
Arcachon and Sables d’Olonne. At Croisic moreover I 
specially wished to see and hear about the shrimp traps 
and take some photographs of them. This was satis- 
factorily managed, and I then returned home by Nantes 
and Paris. 
I shall now discuss the chief fishery centres I saw, in 
order, beginning at the Southern end of the series. 
ARCACHON. 
Arcachon is probably the most important centre for the 
study of oyster culture, It is one of the two places where 
