THE OYSTER. 345 



large quantities of these small oysters, and deposit 

 them in some bed where the tide flows in ; and being 

 thus defended from those agitations which disturb the 

 ocean, they acquire a greater degree both of plump- 

 ness and size : but even these are inferior to what are 

 termed rock oysters, which it is no unfrequent thing to 

 see as large as a plate, whilst those which are found 

 along the coast of Coromandel will satisfy eight or ten 

 men for a meal, though their flavour is not so delicate 

 as those of a smaller kind. 



Other bivalved shell-fish, such as the cockle, the scal- 

 lop, and the razor-shell, only differ from the muscle and 

 oyster in a few minute points ; though the scallop is re- 

 markable for its method of moving forward upon land, 

 as well as for swimming upon the surface of the tide- 

 All oysters, and most shell-fish, are occasionally 

 known to contain pearls.; but that which particularly 

 obtains the name of the pearl-oyster has a large, strong, 

 whitish shell, rough and hard upon the outside, but, 

 within, polished and smooth ; and from this all our 

 mother-of-pearl trinkets are made. That elegant gem, 

 which is found in oysters, has by many Naturalists been 

 thought the effect of disease ; but it is now known to 

 be merely a part of the same matter which originally 

 formed the animal's shell. There are. a great number 

 of pearl-fisheries both in Asia and America, though, 

 in the latter country, their produce is not very great ; 

 but those in the Persian Gulph, near the isle of Bahren, 

 are the most beautiful in colour, and of course fetch a 

 higher price. 



The wretched people who are destined to attend these 

 fisheries, are generally cut oft" in the very prime of their 

 days ; and if they escaped the numerous dangers which 

 .attend the employment, they are almost certain of loos- 



