[13] OYSTER-CULTURE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. 919 
The industry of Messrs. Gasquet consists in the breeding and rearing 
of the following species: the oyster, the common mussel and the red 
mussel, the “double praire” ( Venus verrucosa), the “simple praire” (Car- 
dita sulcata), the “ clovisse” of Toulon (Tapes decussata), and the “ clovisse” 
of Cette (apes texturata), the edible sea-urchin (Toxopneustes lividus), and 
the “violet” (Ascidia cynthia). The products of the seaare generally much 
relished by the inhabitants along the Mediterranean coasts. All marine 
animals that serve as food and cannot be classified as fish are called by 
them “fruits of the sea.” The people of Toulon have a marked predilec- 
tion for the praire, and esteem it as highly as they do the oyster. The 
average-sized double praire sells at Toulon at from 1 france to 1 frane 25 
centimes (20 to25 cents) per dozen; if of large size, it brings as high as 2 
francs (40 cents) ; the simple praire is worth a little less. The red mussel 
has a delicate flavor, and, like the praire, is eaten raw. The clovisse is, 
perhaps, less appreciated by epicures, but is universally eaten through- 
out the south. “One year, at Marseilles, the clovisse disappeared from 
the port, and desolation was general among the inhabitants. The magis- 
trates took a generous initiative and had large quantities of the best 
quality brought from a distance. These were thrown by the basketful 
into the place which since that time has been known as the ‘ Reserve.’”* 
The sea-urchin (Toxopneustes lividus) is sought after by many of the 
natives of Provengaux. The violet also has its partisans. Many of the 
southern people like it because of its somewhat high flavor. It sells at 
Toulon from 5 to 25 centimes (4 to 14 cents) apiece. 
As we see, the industry which the Messrs. Gasquet are attempting to 
create has an economic bearing, for it supplies a demand. The parks 
on the peninsula of Giens are all surrounded by stakes driven into the 
bottom, and to these hurdles are attached. This kind of inclosure serves 
the double purpose of presenting an obstacle to the waves, which beat 
on the coast, and of acting as a collector or place of refuge for the spat 
of the shell-fish. Within the parks have been placed other collectors, 
consisting of stones and tiles covered with a coating of hydraulic cement, 
which renders it possible, when the time has arrived, to remove the oys- 
ters from the place of attachment; this may be accomplished without 
the slightest difficulty. 
The oysters which Messrs. Gasquet have introduced into their conces- 
sion came from Arcachon; the largest, on their arrival, measured about 
4 centimeters (14 inches) in diameter; the others were still attached to the 
collectors. They were imported and parked in the spring of last year, 
and at once rapidly grew to be one centimeter in size. But since the 
manifestation of this first growth, until the month of September, at which 
time I visited the establishment at Giens, they had remained stationary, 
and moreover had given no signs of reproducing. There is nothing 
strange in this, for it must be considered that these oysters, which were 
* Note sur la praire double (Venus verrucosa) par M. Charles Bretagne. Extract from 
the Bull. de la Soc. d@’acclim., 1863. 
