I 10 OYSTERS IN AMERICA chap. 



the coasts of Calvados, the oj^sters are educated to keep their 

 shells closed when out of water, and so retain water enough 

 inside to keep their gills moist, and arrive at their destination 

 in good condition. As soon as an oyster is taken out of the 

 sea, it closes its shells, and keeps them closed until the shock of 

 removal has passed away, or perhaps until the desirability of a 

 fresh supply of water suggests itself. The men take advantage 

 of this to exercise the oysters, removing them from the sea for 

 longer and longer x^eriods. In time this has the desired effect ; 

 the well-educated mollusc learns that it is hopeless to ' open ' 

 when out of the water, and so keeps his shell closed and his gills 

 moist, and his general economy in good condition. 



Oysters have been known to live entii'ely out of water for a 

 considerable time. Prof. Verrill once noticed^ a large cluster of 

 oysters attaclied to an old boot, hanging outside a fish-shop in 

 "Washington. They had been taken out of the water on about 

 10th December, and on 25th February following some of the 

 largest were still alive. It was noticed that all those which sur- 

 vived had the hinge upward and the ventral edge downward, this 

 being the most favourable position possible for the retention of 

 water within the gill-cavity, since the edge of the mantle would 

 pack against the margins of the shell, and prevent the water 

 from leaking away. 



Such a succulent creature as the oyster has naturally many 

 enemies. One of the worst of these is the ravenous Starfish, or 

 Five-finger. His omnivorous capacities are well described by a 

 clever writer and shrewd observer of nature : " Here is one 

 doubled up like a sea-urchin, brilliant of hue, and when spread 

 out quite 1 6 inches in diameter ; where, and oh where, can you 

 obtain a prey ? The hoe we carry is thrust out and the mass 

 drago-ed shorewards, when the rascal disgoroes two largje dog- 

 whelks he has been in the process of devouring. We feel a 

 comfortable glow of satisfaction to think that this enemy of our 

 oyster-beds is also the enemy of om^ other enemy, this carnivor- 

 ous borer. Here, quite close alongside, is another, only inferior 

 in size, and we drag him ashore likewise, to find that the fellow 

 has actually had the courage and audacity to suck the contents 

 out of a large horse-mussel {Modiola), the strong muscle alone 

 remaining undevoiu'ed. We proceed along but a short way 

 ^ Bull. U. £. Fish. Comm. v. p. 161. 



