690 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONEE OF FISH AND FISHEEIES. [18] 



that the oysters had made sensible improvement, and in October had 

 acquired dimensions he was far from expecting. 



In the year just passed 3,000,000 of fry have been brought from 

 Auray to Fosse-Mort. They were placed in the claires without being 

 removed from the tiles, and remained there until April of this year, 

 when they were detached. Then the young oysters were placed in 350 

 nursing-trays {caisses ostreopMles) established in the lower part of the 

 concession. Each month the trays are overhauled and thoroughly 

 cleaned from the sediment which has settled over the interior, and from 

 the marine vegetation which, by attaching itself to the wire gratings, im- 

 pedes or prevents the free circulation of water. By the last of August 

 of the current year the shells had attained a diameter of from 2 to 2J 

 centimeters. In spite of the losses incurred in previous years, M. 

 Oamac expects to market this season from 270,000 to 300,000 oysters 

 having a diameter of from 7 to 9 centimeters. 



Fosse-Mort belongs, both by its methods and its climatology, to the 

 Normandy group of oyster-cultural stations. 



Were I to attempt in a few words, before passing to the coast of Brit- 

 tany, to convey the impression made upon me by the establishments 

 already passed in review, I sliould say that each seems to supplement 

 the others. 



Each corresponds to one of the phases in the cultivation of the oyster. 

 Le Yivier produces spawn, Grand-Camp busies itself especially with 

 the early growth of the oyster, the maturing and fattening engages 

 La Hougue and Cancale, and Courseulles trains them to bear transpor- 

 tation. 



Brest. — The maritime province of Brest contains the largest num- 

 ber of natural oyster beds. But here, as elsewhere, these beds were 

 at one time wellnigh exhausted by the Imi^rovidence and cupidity of 

 the fishermen. 



In the roadstead of Brest alone, where there were formerly twenty- 

 seven oyster beds, there are to-day only seventeen, as I learn from 

 official documents obligingly communicated to me by Commissary-Gen- 

 eral Dauriac, and of these there are but six in which are found any evi- 

 dences of reproduction. This condition of impoverishment, well ad- 

 vanced in 1857, attracted the attention of M. Coste, who, with the view of 

 remedying it, caused a large number of fascines to be immersed in the 

 bay. The sea swept them all away, and the attempts were abandoned. 



Is it right to say that the fishermen were the sole authors of this ruin ? 

 Doubtless they were chiefly concerned in it. But natural conditions 

 concurred to render it complete. At one period the boring whelks {Bi- 

 gorneaux perceurs), Mueex, which are so destructive to the oyster, in- 

 vaded most of the oyster-beds of Brittany, and did incalculable damage; 

 some of them were utterly destroyed. 



In the roadstead of Brest another cause has co-operated with those 

 already mentioned. In some years the bottom is covered with a red 



