38 



cut off in the early embryonic stages. Still there is prob- 

 ably quite a sufficient supply of young each year to keep 

 up our very valuable cockle beds if we act with ordinary 

 prudence and common sense in regulating the fishing, and 

 taking care of the young animals. Biological knowledge 

 of the life of the animal suggests that cockles should not 

 be taken from the beds until they are quite adult and of 

 full size — about an inch in length ; that the beds should 

 be as little disturbed as possible ; that the younger ones 

 should as far as possible not be removed from the sand, 

 and if young and old have to be collected together they 

 should not be taken away to be riddled or sorted out else- 

 where, or if riddled on the spot the young which pass 

 through the riddle should not be left in a heap, as in these 

 cases the majority of the young will probably die. The 

 fishermen ought to be careful to leave the young ones 

 he rejects in- such a situation that they can readily regain 

 their former position in the sand and live on uninjured. 

 We must remember that the object of any regulations 

 should be, not merely that the young cockles should not 

 appear in the market, but that they should not leave their 

 homes. 



The Mussel. 

 The Mussel requires still more attention than the 

 cockle, because it is not protected by sand and because it 

 requires something to hold on to ; and I am persuaded 

 that much could be done in this neighbourhood in the way 

 of Mussel culture. Many parts of our shores, especially 

 up the estuaries, seem well fitted for the growth of mussel 

 beds if there was anything — such as stakes and wattling — 

 for the young mussels to attach themselves to. The 

 supply of embryonic mussels every year is abundant. 

 At Hilbre Island and Caldy Blacks and other places in 



