78 THE OYSTER. 



six to seven days. They have a fine flavour, and are by 

 some people preferred to the Ostend oysters : although 

 the latter, generally speaking, occupy the first rank. 

 These two species, and that of Holstein, are the best 

 oysters to be met with in the north of Europe. 



2. CJumnel Oijsters. — The oysters which, more par- 

 ticularly in the north of Germany, are an article of trade, 

 come from the Bay of St. Brieux and the Eock of Can- 

 cale, on the British Channel, between the castle of that 

 name. Mount St. Michael, and St. Malo, and from the 

 Channel between Calais and its exti'eme point near 

 Falmouth. The bottom of this sea is flat and firm, and 

 its stream near the bottom not very strong, both favour- 

 able circumstances for the propagation of oysters. This 

 propagation must be very considerable, and the banks 

 where the oysters breed very extensive, since, in spite 

 of the continual dredging, they produce a sufficient 

 quantity without any apparent decrease, to guard against 

 which, the new beds of St. Brieux, mentioned in the 

 first chapter, are carefully supplied. The di^edging 

 lasts generally from the middle of September till the end 

 of May ; dui^ing the other months the fishing should 

 properly be discontinued, because the spawning, which 

 then takes place, would be disturbed, and because during 

 that time the oyster is generally not fit for food. 



3. Holstein Oysters are very good and fine, but the 

 sea-banks do not afi'ord enough for the present consump- 

 tion, so that it is necessary to have good connexions in 

 order to obtain real and good Holstein oysters. They 

 are easily distinguished from all the other oysters by 

 their size, the thin, greenish-blue shells, especially the 



