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THE 



PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE. 



MARCH 1800. 



I. Ohfervatlons rej^ealng O0ers, tnd the Place, 'U;hcrc 

 ' fotcnd. By Proftfor Beckmann. 



Our knowledge refpedlitig the nature and ofganiration, 

 mode of life, nourHhment and propagation of theie flidl-filh, 

 is confined, defeftive, and uncertain. They live ni a me- 

 dium which fcreens them from our obfervation; they are 

 found on coafts uhich few naturalifts frequent, and are lo 

 different from all other animals, that, even from the oolcrva- 

 tions which have been made on them, very little can be con- 

 cluded I fliall leave it to naturalifts to collea, arrange, and 

 explain thefe obfervations, as the following, in my opm.on, 

 will be iufficient for the objea I have in view by the prefent 



^^Oyfters live on the fhores of the fea, and parllcularly fuch 

 as are fandy or ftony ; on the coaRs of iflands, on rocks 

 which projea into the fca^ and on fand-banks; but they 

 fccm to thrive beft at the mouth of ftreams, ^vhere the water 

 of the latter renders itie water of the fea milder. Theatmnal 

 nime which the ftrcams carry along with them, and which 

 is accumulated on the Ihores, may ferve them as food 



Ovlters Ipawn chiefly in fpring, when the Ian agaui begm. 

 to warm the water of the fea; and what they then throw out 

 conails in fmall oytters completely formed, which feem to 



* Oftrca edviHs l.iVK. 

 Vor..VI. . O >^''< 



