MYTILID^E. MUSSEL. 61 



grown mussels, which are ready for sale, are planted on 

 the houchots nearest the shore. The fishermen gather 

 enormous quantities of fresh mussels every day, and 

 take them in carts, or on the backs of horses, " to La 

 Rochelle, and other places, from whence they are sent 

 as far as Tours, Limoges and Bordeaux." 



It appears that the French mussel breeders have 

 discovered that mussels which live suspended to piles, 

 or ropes of vessels, nets, &c., attain to a larger size, than 

 .those which live on the bottom, be it sandy, rocky or 

 muddy ; they therefore suspend thick ropes to wooden 

 piles, and the mussels adhere by their byssus to them, 

 the ropes are then tightened a little to prevent the 

 animals lying on the bottom.* 



The fishermen of Cherbourg consider that there are 

 two distinct varieties of the common mussel, viz., 

 Mytiliw incurvatus and Mytilus achatinus. The former 

 is usually sold under the name of Cayeu, and is much 

 esteemed by the consumers of mussels, the flesh being 

 more delicate and easier of digestion ; and it is also 

 stated, that the shell of this species is never inhabited 

 by the Pinnotheres, which is often found in the common 

 mussel. The Cayeu is generally to be found on the 

 rocks, where it lives rather isolated ; while the common 

 mussel is found on the muddy sand. The second 

 variety, viz., Mytilus achatinus, is to be met with only 

 in the neighbourhood of the " Grand- Vey," and then 

 only at spring-tides. It is much less esteemed as food, 

 as it is tougher than Mytilus incurvatus. It is sold at 

 Cherbourg under the name of la Blonde, on account of 

 its col our. f 



* Phipson's ' Utilization of Minute Life,' pp. 163, 164. 

 t * Essaie d'un Catalogue des Mollusques, inarms, terrestres et 

 fluviatiles,' par Al. J. A. Mace. 



