SIXTKKNIH ANNUAL MKKTING. T,i) 



water would pass out again and the oyster would be reduced U> 

 its original size. Just such is actually the case. Oyster-men 

 find that the oysters "fatten" much more quickly in fresh than 

 in brackish water; warmth is so favorable to the process that it 

 is said tcj be sometimes found profitable U) warm artilicially the 

 water in which the oysters are flgated; although oysters are 

 generally floated in the shell, the same effect is very commonly 

 obtained bv adding fresh water to the oysters after they have 

 been taken out of the shell, indeed, I am told that this is a by no 

 means unusual practice of retail dealers; oysters lose much of 

 their salty flavor in floating; and it is a common experience of 

 oyster-men that if the " fattened " oysters are left too long on 

 the floats they become "lean " again. 



This exact agreement of theory and fact might seem to war- 

 rant the conclusion that the actual changes in the S(j called fatten- 

 ing of ovsters in floating are essentially gain of water and loss 

 of salts. The absolute proof however is to be sought in chemical 

 analysis. In the course of an investigation conducted under the 

 auspices of the United States Fish Commission, and which in- 

 cluded examinations of a number of specimens of oysters and 

 other shell-fish, I have improved the opportunity to test this 

 matter by some analysis of oysters before and after floating. 

 The results of the investigation are to be given in one of the 

 publications of the Commission. From this the following state- 

 ments are selected as perhaps not without interest to the Fisheries 

 Association. It is not improper that I should add here, that a 

 portion of the expenses of the investigation was borne by one of 

 the prominent officers of the association, Mr. E. G. Blackford. 



The account just mentioned of the experiments is preceded by 

 some citations regarding the practice of floating oysters which 

 I insert here, adding that I shoidd be greatly obliged for any 

 further information u[)(ni the subject. 



The following very (jpposite statements* are by Prof. Persi- 

 for Frazer, Jr., who attributes the changes mentioned to dialytic 

 action. 



* Note on Dialysi.s in Oyslcr Culturu in Proceedinj^s of I'liiladelpliia Academy of Sciencet-, 

 187:, p. 472. 



