OSTREA EDULIS, OR COMMON OYSTER. 151 



wall, where it is known by the name of the 

 " Brill" (I fancy this is the " Astrea opercularis," 

 or " fubrusus/' of Tennant). It is about two 

 inches and a quarter in length, and the shells are 

 both somewhat convex ; it makes a very nice dish 

 when stewed, and is dredged for about four or 

 five miles from the coast in deep water with a 

 sandy bottom, where they are found in immense 

 masses, termed locally " banks." Generally a 

 trip to these banks is considered a holiday, there 

 not being a sale sufficient to pay men to make it 

 a regular branch of their pursuit. There are 

 thirteen varieties of the Ostrea family. 



OSTREA EDULIS, OR COMMON OYSTER. 



This well known and much esteemed article of 

 food is bred in vast numbers and quantities, and 

 is of much importance as an article of trade. 



The British oysters were famous even in the 

 time of the Romans, and those of Richborough, 



