314 KAMBLES OP A NATURALIST. 



soon became very popular, and the bouchots were 

 extended in several directions. It was soon found 

 inexpedient to trust only to the chance of the currents 

 and waves that might bring in the young mussels to 

 the poles and fences, and men frequently went to a 

 very great distance, even as far as the plateau of 

 Chatelaillon, in search of the young Molluscs. At 

 the same time this branch of industry was constantly 

 undergoing improvements, becoming as it were more 

 and more systematised, whilst its various operations 

 were designated by names, which, having been 

 borrowed from a totally different order of ideas, 

 might lead a stranger, who heard the conversation 

 of two boucholeurs, to suppose that they were dis- 

 coursing on agricultural matters. 



The little mussels that appear in the spring are 

 known as the seeds. They are scarcely larger than 

 lentils till towards the end of May, but at this time 

 they rapidly increase, and in July they attain the 

 size of a haricot bean. They then take the name of 

 renouvelains, and are fit for transplanting. For this 

 purpose they are detached from those bouchots which 

 are situated at the lowest tide mark, and are then 

 introduced into pockets or bags made of old nets, 

 which are placed upon the fences that are not quite 

 so far advanced into the sea. The young mussels 

 spread themselves all round the pockets, fixing them- 

 selves by means of those filaments which naturalists 

 designate by the name of the byssus. In proportion 

 as they grow and become crowded together within 

 the pockets, they are cleared out and distributed 

 over other poles lying somewhat nearer to the shore, 



