60 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSCA.. 



covered with mussel spawn. He then increased the 

 number of his poles, and after various attempts he 

 constructed his first artificial mussel-bed, or bouchot. 

 At the level of the lowest tides he drove into the mud 

 stakes that were strong enough to resist the force of 

 the waves, and placed them in two rows about a yard 

 distant from each other. This double line of poles 

 formed an angle, whose base was directed towards the 

 shore, and whose apex pointed to the sea. This pali- 

 sade was roughly fenced in with long branches, and a 

 narrow opening having been left at the extremity of 

 the angle, wicker-work cases were arranged in such a 

 manner as to stop any fishes that were being carried 

 back by the retreating tide. It was soon found inex- 

 pedient to trust only to the chance of the currents and 

 waves that might bring in the young mussels to 

 the poles and fences, and men frequently went to a 

 very great distance in search of the young mollusks, 

 even as far as the plateau of Chatelaillon." 



M. de Quatrefages further tells us, that the little 

 mussels that appear in the spring are called seeds; 

 they are scarcely larger than lentils till towards the 

 end of May, when they rapidly increase in size, and are 

 then called renouvelains, and in July are ready for 

 transplanting. They are detached from the bouchots 

 which are situated at lowest tide-mark, and are then 

 put into pockets or bags made of old nets, " which are 

 placed upon the fences that are not quite so far 

 advanced into the sea/' The young mussels attach 

 themselves by means of their byssus all round the 

 pockets or bags. As they increase in size and become 

 crowded together, they are taken out and distributed 

 over other poles lying nearer the shore, and the full- 



