72 
firm muddy sand, and I found the temperature of the 
water to be 74°F ., and the specific gravity 1°025. 
The water is admitted from the sea by great sluice 
gates, and there seems an abundance of vegetation and 
food matters in the parcs. The oysters are laid down in 
July or so, and remain till the followmg March or Apyril, 
when they are ready for market, but may be kept longer 
till required. They are all ‘“‘huitres blanches” as no 
‘“‘oreening”’ appears to take place in these enclosures, 
which by the way are not called claires here but parcs 
d’ élevage. It is said that the growth of the oysters in 
this lake at Les Sables is very rapid. In the low-lying 
ground round the lake there are ponds dug out, very like 
the claires at La Tremblade and Marennes, in which the 
oysters may be put for a few weeks to be specially fattened 
up and flavoured. Salt is also made by evaporation in 
these or similar shallow pits. 
Les Sables is a centre for the sardine fishing and has a 
large fleet of boats, and also factories and warehouses 
for the tinning of the sardines. On the actual seashore 
north of the town the beach is marked off into rude stone 
enclosures used as fishing weirs; set lines are also used 
on the shore and prawning is carried on. Fixed engines, 
as at Royan, for shrimping are in use both from the 
breakwater and also from small boats. In the market, in 
addition to the usual common fish, oysters, mussels, 
Tapes decussata, and two or three different species of crabs 
were exposed for sale. 
LE CRoIsiIc. 
This ancient little fishing town is in the south of 
Brittany close to the projecting pomt which forms the 
northern extremity of the estuary of the Loire. It is 
conveniently reached from Nantes by St. Nazaire. As in 
