270 MARITIME PISCICULTURE. 



demns to enforced idleness are generously supported 

 by their neighbours. Such unfortunates regularly wait 

 the arrival of the boats, and receive one handful of 

 mussels and another of small fish, accompanied with 

 kind looks and friendly words. Every housewife, 

 moreover, when baking, puts aside a piece of dough for 

 the disabled ; and the bakers, collecting all the pieces, 

 make them into loaves, which are baked gratis. M. 

 Orbigny, in his report to Government on the inhabitants 

 of the maritime communes of the bay of Aiguillon, 

 likens them to the settlements of the Moravians in 

 North America and Germany. Their characteristics, 

 he declares, are industry, good morals, gaiety, and hap- 

 piness ; little quarrelling or drunkenness, cheerful homes, 

 and a religious love of hospitality and truthfulness. 



We appear to have got into the millennium ! and all 

 this from the rearing of mussels ! We hope some bene- 

 volent soul will reprint this in big type for the informa- 

 tion of the fishermen of Broughty- Ferry, Carnoustie, 

 Arbroath, Auchmithie, where dwell the Cargills, the 

 Smiths, and the Swankies, of whose pre-eminence in 

 the virtues chronicled by M. Orbigny we have yet to 

 learn. 



We are convinced that the resources of pisciculture 

 may essentially ameliorate the condition of our British 

 fishermen and their families. We have therefore ex- 

 piscated for their behoof the valuable information ac- 

 cumulated by M. Coste regarding eels, oysters, and 

 mussels. But it will never be brought under their 

 notice, unless we have excited some intelligent mari- 

 time proprietor to take up the matter, and prosecute it 

 with assiduity, as the commencement of a kind of in- 

 dustry sure to be abundantly rewarded. 



