84 



from any amount of detailed description. The accom- 

 panying^ text fig^nre is a reproduction from a photog^raph 

 of the Heysliani (" Knott End ") Skears, taken in April, 

 1905, immediately before transplanting commenced. It 

 gives a fair idea of tlie general condition of the beds at 

 that time. In some parts the mussels were much smaller 

 and even more crowded than is shown in the illustration, 

 occasionally three g-enerations of mussels could be recoo-- 



FiG. 7. — An overcrowded mussel skear. 



nised living together on the same bed. Other parts were 

 nearly clean, a condition due tf) the fishing that had 

 taken .place during the season. The photograph 

 indicates roughly the depth of the mussels aud 

 shows that they were simply growing one on top 

 of the other. At that part of the bed the shellfish 

 were nearly one foot deep, and about 18 per cent, 

 just faile<l to pass through the two inch gauge. The 



