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  descriptive 
  of 
  it. 
  It 
  is 
  this 
  relatively 
  large 
  amount 
  of 
  

   delicate, 
  easily 
  digested 
  protoplasm 
  of 
  tlie 
  mantle 
  which 
  

   renders 
  the 
  oyster 
  so 
  wholesome 
  and 
  nntritions. 
  

  

  The 
  deposit 
  of 
  this 
  protophismic 
  material 
  in 
  the 
  mantle, 
  

   palps 
  and 
  body, 
  stands 
  in 
  intimate 
  relation 
  to 
  the 
  activ- 
  

   ity 
  of 
  the 
  reproductive 
  organs. 
  During 
  the 
  spawning 
  

   season 
  oysters 
  are 
  said 
  to 
  be 
  "poor," 
  that 
  is, 
  poor 
  in 
  

   condition, 
  for 
  at 
  this 
  time 
  the 
  mantle, 
  especially 
  where 
  

   it 
  lies 
  next 
  the 
  body 
  on 
  each 
  side, 
  is 
  very 
  thin 
  and 
  quite 
  

   transparent 
  ; 
  the 
  radiating 
  muscles 
  at 
  the 
  edges 
  as 
  well 
  

   as 
  its 
  vessels 
  and 
  nerves 
  may 
  now 
  be 
  readily 
  studied 
  

   under 
  the 
  microscope, 
  owing 
  to 
  the 
  transparency 
  and 
  

   absence 
  of 
  soft 
  granular 
  protoplasm. 
  If 
  we 
  examine 
  at 
  

   this 
  time 
  the 
  reproductive 
  organs, 
  as 
  a 
  rule, 
  we 
  will 
  find 
  

   them 
  greatly 
  developed 
  and 
  pouring 
  out 
  their 
  products 
  

   through 
  two 
  large 
  ducts, 
  the 
  combined 
  caliber 
  of 
  which 
  

   is 
  not 
  far 
  short 
  of 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  intestine. 
  It 
  will 
  be 
  evi- 
  

   dent 
  to 
  any 
  thinking 
  mind 
  that 
  if 
  the 
  major 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  

   food 
  material 
  elaborated 
  by 
  the 
  stomach 
  and 
  intestine 
  

   goes 
  to 
  the 
  ovary 
  or 
  testes 
  to 
  be 
  transformed 
  into 
  sex 
  

   products, 
  which 
  are 
  continually 
  thrown 
  off, 
  little 
  of 
  such 
  

   material 
  can 
  be 
  stored 
  up 
  in 
  the 
  tissues 
  of 
  the 
  body. 
  — 
  

   This 
  is 
  exactly 
  what 
  happens. 
  In 
  the 
  month 
  of 
  Sej)tem- 
  

   ber 
  when 
  the 
  oysters 
  for 
  the 
  most 
  part 
  stop 
  spawning, 
  

   the 
  drain 
  of 
  elaborated 
  material 
  having 
  ceased 
  to 
  flow 
  

   from 
  the 
  openings 
  of 
  the 
  reproductive 
  organs, 
  it 
  is 
  

   diverted 
  in 
  another 
  direction, 
  but 
  is 
  retained 
  in 
  the 
  sys- 
  

   tem, 
  and 
  bus 
  to 
  be 
  deposited 
  somewhere 
  in 
  the 
  body. 
  

   The 
  most 
  extensive 
  deposits 
  of 
  this 
  elaborated 
  living 
  

   matter 
  occur 
  in 
  the 
  mantle, 
  l)ody 
  and 
  palps, 
  the 
  color 
  of 
  

   which 
  rapidly 
  changes 
  from 
  the 
  watery 
  transj^arent 
  con- 
  

   dition 
  prevalent 
  during 
  the 
  spawning 
  season 
  to 
  a 
  creamy 
  

   white. 
  The 
  mantle 
  and 
  palps 
  now 
  become 
  very 
  much 
  

   thicker 
  than 
  before, 
  and 
  their 
  substance 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  

   softer, 
  more 
  easily 
  lacerated, 
  and 
  is 
  made 
  up 
  largely 
  of 
  

   a 
  delicate 
  granular 
  protoplasm, 
  which 
  when 
  broken 
  up 
  

   has 
  the 
  milky 
  api)earance 
  of 
  the 
  reproductive 
  organ 
  

  

  