ORDER UNIMUSCULOSA. 67 



The English Oyster-fishery is principally carried on 

 at the following places : — Wivenhoe, near Colchester, 

 in Essex, (the heds here are generally supplied from 

 Portsmouth ;) at Feversham and Milton, in Kent, the 

 Swales of the Medway, and at Tenhy, on the coast of 

 Wales. In Scotland, they are chieliy taken at the island 

 of Inchkeith, and at Preston-pans, hoth in the Frith of 

 Forth. The fishing fur Oysters is permitted by law, from 

 the 1st of September to the last of April inclusive. 

 During the remaining months they are considered 

 unwholesome; it is a common saying that Oysters are 

 in season during all the months that have the letter r in 

 them. 



In France, the chief fisliing-station for Oysters is in 

 the Bay of Cangal, between the town of that name and 

 Mount St. Michael, or St. Malo. The fishery is effected 

 by means of an iron net or dredge; this is drawn over 

 the Oyster-bed by hand-labour, or by having the rope 

 which is fixed to it attached to the stem of the fishing- 

 boat, which is then allowed to run before the wind; 

 frequently, in the course of a few minutes, as many as 

 two or three hundred are taken. The Oysters taken are 

 sent from the ports of Granville and Can9al, to different 

 places, where artificial banks or preserves are established. 

 These banks are not only of use in the preservation of 

 the Oysters, but assist materially in their improvement. 

 In fact, the Oyster, when first taken out of the sea, has 

 frequently a strong muddy taste, and appears in what 

 "we should call bad condition. 



Some of these preserves are a species of tank dug 

 in the sand, or sometimes even in stone, near the sea- 

 shore, and communicating by a narrow tunnel with the 

 sea-water; the bottom and sides of these tanks are 



