376 THE PANDORE OYSTERS. [CHAP. vm. 



and years ago used to yield for the consumption of the city 

 of Edinburgh from six to eight thousand oysters a day, but 

 I question very much if we shall obtain anything like that 

 quantity during this present season. The proprietor of the most 

 popular Edinburgh tavern experiences the greatest difficulty in 

 obtaining oysters ; and I take this opportunity of informing the 

 Lord Provost of that city that, in the course of a year or two, 

 " Auld Beekie" will, most probably, unless the authorities 

 actively bestir themselves in the matter, have to obtain her 

 oysters from Colchester or Whitstable. Last season (1 864-65), 

 thousands of barrels full of young oysters were disposed off to 

 English and foreign fishermen at the rate of about 20s. a 

 barrel. This, surely, is a state of things dreadful for Scotch- 

 men to contemplate. In former and more energetic times, 

 the municipal authorities of the modern Athens used to ven- 

 ture on a voyage of exploration to view their scalps, and after- 

 wards hold a feast of shells, as they do yet at some oyster 

 towns on the annual opening of the fishery.* 



* Since the above observations were penned it is satisfactory to 

 know that the Town Council of Edinburgh have begun an investigation 

 into the state of their oyster-scalps. An official report has been made 

 to the following effect : " The sub-committee of the Lord Provost's 

 committee beg to report that, from the inquiries made by them, there 

 can be no doubt whatever that the city's scalps, by the improper way 

 in which they have been dredged, are at present nearly worthless, vast 

 quantities of the seeding brood of oysters having been dredged and sold 

 for exportation to England and other places ; that, in these circum- 

 stances, the sub-committee are of opinion that, if possible, the lease 

 which the Free Fishermen have obtained should be reduced, so as the 

 town may have henceforth complete control, and with that view the 

 agents should be instructed to take the opinion of counsel ; but if that 

 cannot be done, that immediate steps should be taken, by a conference 

 with the Duke of Buccleuch, Sir George Suttie, the Earl of Morton, and 

 the Commissioners of Woods and Forrests to whom, along with the 

 city, all the scalps in the Forth belong to have the whole oysters in 

 the Forth placed under one management for their joint behoof. At 

 present the rules made by any one of the proprietors become wholly 



