6 



This Bouchot, which is placed between Eoosebeck 

 outer scar and Fouhiey Island, is somewhat similar to 

 those used in the Bay of Aiguillon in France. It consists 

 of a single row of stakes, placed at intervals of about 3 

 feet, extending in a straight line for 52 yards, the position 

 being at right angles to the length of the Island and 

 roughly parallel to the shore of the mainland. The stakes 

 are interlaced with flexible branches, and sufficient space 

 is left at the bottom for mud, seaweed, and other things 

 to wash through. The Bouchot was erected during the 

 summer and was stocked with mussels on the 11th and 

 12th August, 1896, one-half of these being taken from the 

 outer scar and the other half from the beds in the 

 immediate neighbourhood. The methods employed in 

 fixing them to the Bouchot were two : — good sized bunches 

 of young mussels were selected, tied up in pieces of old 

 net and then stuffed into the spaces amongst the inter- 

 lacing twigs ; and good sized and fairly compact bunches 

 were put amongst the twigs, without net or other 

 supporting material. 



On the 7th October the Bouchot was again visited and 

 found to be intact, but many of the mussels had been 

 washed off, both those protected by the net and those 

 unprotected. A considerable number, however, of the 

 mussels had become firmly attached to the twigs. On 

 October 8th a strong gale got up, which raised the tide 

 to such an extent, that Foulney Island was completely 

 submerged, as well as large tracts of low-lying land along 

 the shore of the mainland, causing considerable destruction 

 to property. When the gale moderated the Bouchot was 

 visited and was found to have stood well, no damage being 

 done to the structure itself, although a considerable 

 number of the mussels had been swept off, leaving the 

 Bouchot comparatively bare in places. As the weather 



