﻿f)8 
  

  

  tirst 
  attempt 
  to 
  artiticially 
  impregnate 
  the 
  eggs 
  of 
  the 
  

   European 
  oyster, 
  and 
  as 
  tlie 
  inferences 
  which 
  can 
  be 
  log- 
  

   ically 
  drawn 
  from 
  its 
  success 
  affect 
  the 
  theory 
  of 
  the 
  

   reproduction 
  of 
  the 
  animal 
  and 
  the 
  develoxmient 
  of 
  its 
  

   eggs 
  to 
  the 
  same 
  extent 
  as 
  those 
  drawn 
  from 
  like 
  suc- 
  

   cessful 
  experiments 
  affect 
  our 
  o^vn 
  species, 
  I 
  have 
  

   thought 
  my 
  work 
  might 
  prove 
  both 
  of 
  interest 
  and 
  of 
  

   value. 
  

  

  I 
  labored 
  under 
  many 
  disadvantages, 
  and 
  with 
  a 
  very 
  

   inferior 
  micros(M)pe, 
  though 
  magnifying 
  :>()() 
  diameters, 
  

   of 
  obsolete 
  pattern, 
  and 
  at 
  times 
  had 
  to 
  contend 
  with 
  the 
  

   irregular 
  motion 
  of 
  a 
  vessel 
  at 
  sea 
  and 
  the 
  deficient 
  light 
  

   afforded 
  by 
  lamps. 
  All 
  my 
  appliances 
  were 
  such 
  as 
  I 
  

   could 
  obtain 
  or 
  improvise 
  on 
  board 
  ship, 
  and 
  their 
  rude- 
  

   ness 
  and 
  the 
  inconvenience 
  they 
  caused 
  hampered 
  me 
  a 
  

   good 
  deal 
  in 
  conducting 
  the 
  experiment. 
  I 
  regret 
  that 
  

   my 
  observations 
  were 
  not 
  more 
  systematic, 
  regular 
  and 
  

   frequent, 
  but 
  a 
  naval 
  ofhcer 
  lias 
  but 
  few 
  moments 
  which 
  

   he 
  can 
  safely 
  call 
  his 
  own, 
  and 
  my 
  official 
  duties 
  neces- 
  

   sarily 
  (T^nipelled 
  my 
  frequent 
  and 
  prolonged 
  absence 
  

   from 
  the 
  microscox)e. 
  

  

  IIlSTOllY 
  OF 
  THE 
  EXPEIIIMENT. 
  

  

  The 
  oysters 
  were 
  obtained 
  from 
  the 
  mouth 
  of 
  St. 
  Mary's 
  

   River, 
  in 
  the 
  Bay 
  of 
  Cadiz, 
  Spain, 
  and 
  were 
  natives, 
  the 
  

   variety 
  having 
  existed 
  and 
  flourished 
  in 
  the 
  Bay 
  for 
  as 
  

   far 
  back 
  as 
  could 
  be 
  remembered. 
  In 
  appearance 
  they 
  

   were 
  quite 
  similar 
  to 
  the 
  American 
  species 
  {Ostrea 
  vir- 
  

   giniana), 
  having 
  long 
  shells 
  of 
  from 
  one 
  to 
  three 
  inches 
  

   in 
  length, 
  rougher 
  and 
  thicker 
  than 
  is 
  usually 
  the 
  case 
  

   with 
  the 
  European 
  oyster 
  ; 
  there 
  were 
  no 
  clusters 
  how- 
  

   ever, 
  all 
  the 
  animals 
  growing 
  singly, 
  and 
  but 
  a 
  very 
  few- 
  

   young 
  of 
  the 
  previous 
  season 
  were 
  attached 
  to 
  the 
  shells; 
  

   those 
  noticed 
  were 
  probably 
  nine 
  or 
  ten 
  months 
  old, 
  and 
  

   though 
  certainly 
  of 
  the 
  brood 
  of 
  the 
  previous 
  season 
  

   were 
  small 
  sized 
  when 
  compared 
  with 
  the 
  American 
  oys- 
  

   ter 
  of 
  the 
  same 
  age. 
  The 
  adults 
  were 
  about 
  the 
  size 
  and 
  

  

  