Cold and Heat; Wliitstable Spat. 



183 



the oysters, and as the tide ebbed, many were carried right 

 away down stream in the ice blocks. Then, with the unusual 

 arctic winter, the loss was appalling everywhere on the Kent 

 and Essex oyster grounds. 



Though warm temperature has usually a beneficial effect on 

 the fattening and generation of oysters, yet intense heat under 

 certain aspects is sometimes the reverse of desirable. For 

 instance, during midsummer " dog-days," with neap tides, 

 those oysters long exposed on dry banks to the burning sun 

 get out of sorts. 



FIG. 21. 



Specimens of fixed spat on oyster culch taken from the Whitstable 

 beds, season 1900. Supplied by Captain Anderson, of Whitstable. 



As to the bugbear organic pollution, there is this to be said, 

 that without the bacteria therein developed, the " floating- 

 spat " would have less chance of food, and the tiny oysters 

 fixation. Living foes to the full-grown oyster are many, some 

 of which will be noticed under their separate headings further 

 on. 



