936 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [6] 
ing much damage. When thisindustry was in its infancy, and especially 
after the first trials of these implements, before hard experience had yet 
taught its costly lessons to the imprudent, a great many producers threw 
these young oysters, improperly detached, into their basins. Either 
because the tiles were not properly covered, or because the oyster had 
been injured in detaching, a majority of the persons engaged in this indus- 
try lost almost their entire work through the ravages of the crab, the 
cormailho, the shrimp, the vive,* and the numerous other enemies of the 
oyster. 
In view of these serious disasters, numerous experiments were made 
by the various oysterculturists, but generally without success. After 
many attempts and trials, M. Michelet fortunately invented a wooden 
box, about one meter in length, by half a meter in width (34 by 
12 feet), covered at the top and bottom by a rather fine metallic net- 
ting, which permitted the water to circulate freely, and bring to the oyster 
sufficient nourishment while protecting it against the voracity of its 
numerous and dangerous enemies. In this connection we will reproduce 
a few lines taken from a work on oysterculture, printed in 1866, with 
which, on this point alone, we are entirely at variance. This passage, 
which we will quote in full, asserts that the enemies of the oyster are 
innumerable, but that they can do nothing in the face of the immense 
power of reproduction of the oyster. Many oyster breeders might reply 
to this assertion by figures, showing conclusively the serious and irrepa- 
rable losses resulting from these numerous enemies of the oyster, which 
the following lines appear to disregard, although certainly without 
reason. 
M. Davaine says, ina treatise which we have before us, page 78: ‘ Of 
mollusks, Nassa reticulata, Murex tarentinus, and probably several other 
Fic. 3.—Murex tarentinus. 
related species perforate the shells by means of their lingual teeth, in- 
troduce their proboscis and suck the oyster through this little opening ; 
the latter becoming sick or weakened partially opens its valves; the crab 
comes * * * and others with him, and all disappears. 
[* Probably Trachinus draco, Linn.—Eb. ] 
