232 ZOOLOGY. 



cept those of the size of a half-crown piece, or such 

 as, when the two shells are shut, will admit of a 

 shilling rattling between them. 



The liquor of the oyster contains incredible multi- 

 tudes of small embryo oysters, covered with little 

 shells, perfectly transparent, swimming nimbly about. 

 One hundred and twenty of these in a row would ex- 

 tend one inch. Besides these young oysters, the 

 liquor contains a great variety of animalcules, five 

 hundred times less in size, which emit a phosphoric 

 light. The list of inhabitants, however, does not 

 conclude here, for besides these last mentioned, there 

 are three distinct species of worms, (called the oyster- 

 worm,) half an inch long, found in oysters, which 

 shine in the dark like glow-worms. The sea-star, 

 cockles, and muscles, are the great enemies of the 

 oyster. The first gets within the shell when they 

 gape, and sucks them out. 



While the tide is flowing, oysters lie with the hol- 

 low side downwards, but when it ebbs they turn on 

 the other side.* 



White Bait. 



The young of the shad has been recently ascer- 

 tained to be the little fish commonly known by the 

 name of white bait. 



Lampreys. 



Having been unsuccessful in obtaining any male 

 lampreys, (a fish like an eel,) although he procured 

 in abundance what were considered to be females, 

 SirE. Home began to suspect that the individuals of 

 the species were hermaphrodites, and his subsequent 

 observations justified his conjecture, both with re- 

 spect to the lamprey, and the common and conger 

 els. 



* See Bishop Spratt on oysters. 



