— 18 — 



water abound, and wliicli are brought to the mouth of the 

 Oyster by meau.s of powerful currents caused by the vibration 

 of the cilia with which the branchias are clothed. A. con^s- 

 tant stream of fresh water is thus brought to the molusc sup- 

 plying at the same time an aerated medium for respiratiou, 

 and nutritious ^^^I'ticles for fool. 



" Diotomacece appear to form a large portion of the food of 

 the Oyster. 



" The soil best adapted for as Oyster bed is a kind of hard 

 mud or marl, such as the blue London clay of the Whitstable 

 ground. Sand is objectionable, as the Oyster becomes smo- 

 tliered in it. 



" A certain admixture of freshwater appears to be desirable 

 iiL fattening 'ponds. Thus we find (as at Whitstable and Col- 

 chester) that the finest flavoured Oysters are fattened near the 

 estuaries of Rivers. 



'* In the event of new Oysters being introduced into 

 the Mauritius I would recommend (instead of purchasing 

 " brood ") that native oysters should be imported which 

 would spawn upon the ground where they were laid. It 

 should be understood that the result of artificial culture, has 

 . not, as yet, been satisfactory iltere seems to he no certainty 

 about it, and we have, I am satisfied^ much to learn yet. 



" The " Beport of the Commission on Oyster culture in Ire- 

 laud " Blue Book Diiblin Alexander Thorn 1870, 68, con- 

 tains a quantity of valuable information on the subject." 

 " (Signed) Sibert Saunders." 

 *' 1 need hardly tell you that one of the largest and most 

 valuable Oyster beds in England is at Whitstable and that Mr 

 Saunders has long made the Oysters his study as evinced by 

 his highly interesting letter. The trouble in Mauritius isr not 



