42 



There is one point about the ovster 

 Opening Oysters. that must havc struck anone 



tried for the first time to open one, and that is the enormous 

 tenacity with which it is able to resist the human enemy's 

 attack and remain closed, and yet so easily opens at its own 

 sweet will. Dr. Brooks clearly explains this power by 

 reference to the inanimate ligament wedged in between the 

 two shells near the narrow hinged end, which acts like a 

 piece of india-rubber. When the shells are forcibly closed 

 by the oyster's living adductor muscle the ligament is 

 squeezed, and expands again when it is released. The 

 ligament is formed, like the shell itself, by an accretion 

 from the living tissues of the oyster, and its action is not 

 under the control of the animal. It keeps the shell open at 

 all times, unless it is counteracted, and for this reason an 

 oyster at rest and undisturbed, or a dead oyster, always has 

 its shell open. This adductor muscle is made up of a bundle 

 of contractile fibres, which run across the body between 

 the shells, and are fastened to their inner surfaces over the 

 dark-coloured spots which are seen on empty oyster shells. 



To those who are not deeply versed in the natural history 

 of the oyster, but are disposed to increase th knowledge of 

 it that they already possess, I venture to recommend them 

 to read " The Oyster," by Dr. \V. K. Brooks, which he 

 describes most truly as a popular summary of a scientific 

 study, but on whose valuable work it is not possible to draw 

 further here. 



The spawn is emitted from the oyster 

 Oyster Spawn. in immense quantiticSi Hke a puf f O f 



smoke, estimated variously to contain from 8oo,coo to some 

 millions of organisms, of which very few indeed ever reach 

 maturity, which, perhaps, is just as well for some of the 

 other inhabitants of the sea. 



