200 Maturity in Mussels. 



Wilson's* researches at the u Gattie " Marine Station 

 strengthens the view of maturity being in March and April, 

 though swimming embryos are abundant in June. Herdman 

 and Scott (Liverpool Laboratory) f found ripe mussels in 

 January and February. DawsonJ says that in April " mussels 

 are, however, now fast going out of condition." Yet Johnstone 

 (in paper quoted) holds strongly that June and July are the maxi- 

 mum spawning months on the Lancashire mussel beds. Not- 

 withstanding, he admits, by way of assumption, that it is 

 necessary some may spawn early in the year, otherwise how are 

 larvas in January and February to be explained ? It seems to 

 us that, presumably as a side issue, there is a kind of half- 

 hearted support given on his part to the Lancashire District 

 Committee Bye-law of a four months closure. At all events, 

 judging from Johnstone's reading, by contrast the East Coast 

 mussels are in full swing breeding, and are spent and " making 

 flesh " somewhat earlier than in the case of the Irish Sea group. 



Howsoever it be there still seems somewhat of a discrepancy 

 in the statements of the Lancashire authorities. A possible 

 explanation may be that the mussel has a more lengthened 

 spawning period than hitherto accorded it, and not two separate 

 spawning times in the year. A variety of circumstances may 

 advance or retard spatting. May and June being the chief 

 spawning months. So far as Kent and Essex are concerned, at 

 present and in prospect there is no sign of warning of diminution 

 of mussels, therefore no necessity for restricting their collection. 

 At the same time, as in the case of oysters, it is well, nay, the 

 duty of our Committee, at intervals to inspect and report on the 

 condition of the natural accumulations of these mollusks. To 

 be forewarned is to be forearmed against any untoward changes 

 likely to happen. 



Early and After Growth, Size, Food, 8fc. The consecutive 

 rate of the mussel's growth is less accurately known than is 

 that of oysters. We gather just a bare notion of the quite 



* In 4th and 5th Ann. Reps. F. B. Scotland for 1885 and 1886. 



t Hep. Lancashire Sea Fish. Labor, for 1894 (1895), tabular statement. 



j Lane. Sea Fisheries, Superintendent's Report, 30th April, 1894. 



