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  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  

  

  TRANSPORTATION 
  AND 
  LENGTH 
  OF 
  LIFE 
  WHEN 
  REMOVED 
  

   FROM 
  THE 
  WATER. 
  

  

  Under 
  proper 
  conditions 
  the 
  oyster 
  ^ill 
  live 
  for 
  a 
  long 
  time 
  after 
  its 
  

   removal 
  from 
  the 
  water. 
  Professor 
  Verrill 
  records 
  a 
  case 
  in 
  which 
  

   marketable 
  oysters 
  survived 
  for 
  over 
  ten 
  weeks 
  while 
  hung 
  up 
  in 
  the 
  

   window 
  of 
  a 
  shop, 
  during 
  the 
  months 
  of 
  December, 
  January, 
  and 
  

   February. 
  The 
  temperature 
  was 
  variable, 
  but 
  upon 
  the 
  whole 
  rather 
  

   cooL 
  He 
  says 
  : 
  

  

  The 
  remarlvaWe 
  duration 
  of 
  tlae 
  life 
  of 
  these 
  oysters 
  is 
  undoubtedly 
  due 
  to 
  two 
  

   causes 
  : 
  

  

  1. 
  The 
  perfect 
  condition 
  of 
  the 
  edges 
  of 
  the 
  shells, 
  wliich 
  allowed 
  them 
  to 
  close 
  

   up 
  very 
  tightly. 
  

  

  2. 
  The 
  position, 
  suspended 
  as 
  they 
  Were 
  with 
  the 
  front 
  edge 
  downward, 
  is 
  the 
  

   most 
  favorable 
  position 
  possible 
  for 
  the 
  retention 
  of 
  water 
  within 
  the 
  gill 
  cavity, 
  

   for 
  in 
  this 
  position 
  the 
  edges 
  of 
  the 
  mantle 
  would 
  closely 
  paclc 
  against 
  the 
  iuner 
  

   edges 
  of 
  the 
  shell, 
  effectually 
  closing 
  any 
  small 
  leaks, 
  and 
  the 
  retained 
  water 
  would 
  

   also 
  be 
  in 
  the 
  most 
  favorable 
  position 
  to 
  moisten 
  the 
  gills, 
  even 
  after 
  part 
  had 
  

   evaporated. 
  It 
  is 
  also 
  possible 
  that 
  when 
  in 
  this 
  position 
  the 
  oystej 
  instinctively 
  

   keeps 
  the 
  shell 
  tightly 
  closed, 
  to 
  prevent 
  the 
  loss 
  of 
  water. 
  

  

  This 
  incident 
  may 
  give 
  a 
  hint 
  as 
  to 
  the 
  best 
  mode 
  of 
  transporting 
  oysters 
  and 
  

   clams 
  long 
  distances. 
  Perfect 
  shells 
  should 
  be 
  selected, 
  and 
  they 
  should 
  be 
  packed 
  

   with 
  the 
  front 
  edge 
  downward 
  and 
  kept 
  moderately 
  cool 
  in 
  a 
  crate 
  or 
  some 
  such 
  

   receptacle 
  which 
  will 
  allow 
  a 
  free 
  circulation 
  of 
  air. 
  Under 
  such 
  favorable 
  condi- 
  

   tions 
  selected 
  oysters 
  can 
  doubtless 
  be 
  kept 
  from 
  eight 
  to 
  twelve 
  weeks 
  out 
  of 
  water. 
  

  

  So 
  far 
  as 
  is 
  known. 
  Professor 
  Yerrill's 
  suggestion 
  has 
  not 
  been 
  fol- 
  

   lowed 
  by 
  shippers, 
  who 
  seem 
  to 
  have 
  no 
  difficulty 
  in 
  making 
  shipments 
  

   to 
  distant 
  points. 
  

  

  Oysters 
  are 
  usually 
  transported 
  in 
  barrels 
  or 
  sacks. 
  To 
  far 
  inland 
  

   or 
  transcontinental 
  poiuts 
  shipment 
  is 
  made 
  in 
  refrigerator 
  cars. 
  In 
  

   the 
  transportation 
  of 
  American 
  oysters 
  to 
  Europe 
  the 
  same 
  method 
  of 
  

   packing 
  is 
  followed, 
  and 
  they 
  are 
  carried 
  in 
  the 
  cold-storage 
  chambers 
  

   of 
  the 
  vessels. 
  

  

  Several 
  devices 
  for 
  locking 
  the 
  oysters, 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  prevent 
  the 
  gaping 
  

   of 
  the 
  valves 
  and 
  the 
  escape 
  of 
  the 
  fluids, 
  have 
  been 
  patented, 
  but 
  

   they 
  do 
  not 
  appear 
  to 
  be 
  in 
  extensive 
  use 
  at 
  the 
  jjresent 
  time. 
  

  

  It 
  is 
  stated 
  by 
  some 
  dealers 
  that 
  oysters 
  which 
  have 
  been 
  "plumped" 
  

   or 
  "fsittened" 
  stand 
  shii^ment 
  better 
  than 
  those 
  Avhich 
  have 
  not 
  been 
  

   subjected 
  to 
  the 
  process. 
  

  

  The 
  oyster, 
  of 
  course, 
  can 
  not 
  feed 
  during 
  the 
  period 
  of 
  its 
  depriva- 
  

   tion 
  from 
  water, 
  and 
  to 
  maintain 
  its 
  vitality 
  it 
  makes 
  draft 
  upon 
  its 
  

   own 
  tissues 
  and 
  gradually 
  becomes 
  poorer 
  m 
  quality. 
  As 
  the 
  vital 
  

   activities 
  are 
  apparently 
  reduced 
  at 
  such 
  times, 
  the 
  waste 
  of 
  tissue 
  is 
  

   small. 
  

  

  