the Expansion of Liquids bii Heat. 



239 



Expansion of Sulphuret of Carbon. 



On the Geographical Distribution and Uses of the Common 

 Oyster {Ostrea edulis.) 



The Ostrea edulis may be said to have its capital in Britain ; 

 for though found elsewhere on the coasts of Europe, both 

 northwards and southwards, in no part of them does it attain 

 such perfection as in our seas, through which it is generally' 

 distributed, sparingly in some places, abundantly, and in gre- 

 garious assemblages in others, chiefly inhabitiiig the lamina- 

 rian and coralline zones. The ancient Romans valued our na- 

 tive oysters even as we do now, and must have held them in 

 higher estimation than those of Italian shores, or they would 

 not have brought them from so far for their luxurious feasts. 



In Bishop Spratt's " History of the Royal Society," is con- 

 tained the first paper of importance on the Oyster-fisheries of 

 England. It is selected by the Bishop as one of the examples 

 which he gives of the various kinds of papers read before the 

 Royal Society at that time, and respecting it he well remarks, 

 " It may, perhaps, seem a subject too mean to be particularly 

 alleged, but to me it appears worthy to be produced. For 

 though the British oysters have been famous in the world 

 ever since this i.sland was discovered, yet the skill how to 

 order them aright has been so little considered among our- 



