xxi. OYSTERS. 301 



its birth to its descent into the eager and expectant 

 tomb. 



I would that I could induce each one of my readers to 

 examine an oyster. There is really nothing like actually 

 seeing a thing. I don't mean to suggest that he should 

 pause in the deglutition of his half-dozen natives at Scott's, 

 or should waste threepence-halfpenny on the mere satis- 

 faction of his understanding. That would be too much to 

 expect. But I would ask him to expend a penny on a 

 second or third-rate fish (he needn't eat it), and devote a 

 few minutes to making out so much of its structure as may 

 without the smallest difficulty be seen. I am not asking 

 him to dissect it. All that is necessary is to turn over its 

 parts with a toothpick. 



First let him notice, before the oyster is opened, how 

 tightly the two valves of the shell are closed. An oyster, 

 if the shell be not chipped or otherwise injured, may live for 

 two months or more out of water, especially if it be placed 

 with the hinge uppermost. The water withio the shell is 

 thus retained in the most favourable position for keeping 

 the gills moist. But if the shell be chipped, the water 

 drains away or evaporates, and the creature dies. 



The opening of an oyster, like many another apparently 

 simple operations, requires some skill and is based upon 

 previous knowledge. The hollow between the valves of 

 the shell is occupied by the living mollusk. From valve 

 to valve there passes a powerful muscle, the scar of the 

 attachment of which is readily seen near the centre of the 

 inner face of an empty shell. It is by means of this muscle 

 that the oyster closes its valve with such a firm grip. To 

 open the oyster it is necessary to skilfully insert a strong 

 flat knife between the living mollusk and its shell, and to 

 cut the muscle close to its point of attachment. When 

 this is done, the shell gapes about half an inch through the 



