OSTREADJS. OYSTER. 145 



tion. As fast as the oysters are opened the shells are 

 used to build up new land, and with them a large 

 peninsula has been formed, stretching out for more 

 than half a mile from the low marshy shore towards 

 the oyster-beds, and furnishing room for wide streets, 

 a railroad, and a steamboat landing, in addition to the 

 large packing-houses, and the shops and dwellings for 

 a population of several thousand people. A single view 

 of the long white solid streets and docks of this 

 singular town would convey a much more vivid idea of 

 the oyster-packing industry than any number of tables 

 of statistics. At some future period this enormous 

 accumulation of oyster-shells will be considered as a 

 kjokkenmoddings." * 



In Brand's ( Popular Antiquities ' we are told, that 

 oysters are in season in London on St. James's Day, 

 July 25th (old style), and that there is a popular super- 

 stition still in force, similar to that relating to goose on 

 Michaelmas Day, viz., that whoever eats oysters on 

 that day will never want money for the rest of the year ; 

 but the real oyster season is considered to commence 

 on the 4th of August, and last until January, and the 

 natives especially, from October to March. Oysters are 

 said to be in season when the month has the letter r in 

 it. In 'Poor Kobin's Almanack/ 1719, under Sep- 

 tember, he says, 



" This month hath gotten an R in't, 



By which Astrologers do hint, 



That the Fish icleped oysters, 



Are in their operative moistures, 



Which tho' counted ungodly meat, 



Because without grace they are eat, 



* ' Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries of Maryland,' 1880. 

 * Development of the American Ouster,' by W. K. Brooks. 



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