956 The Zoologist— October, 1867. 



age. I have not previously made any allusion to " the lower marine animals," anil 

 I do not pretend to know all the conditions upon which depend their permanent well- 

 heing either in captivity or in freedom ; hut Mr. Lloyd, writing so long ago as the 

 year 1858, was able to say that those conditions were " few and simple;" and in this 

 I so far agree with him as to state my belief that many of these creatures may in 

 captivity attain a greater age than they wonld probably ever arrive at in a state of 

 nature. I do not lay claim to any exclusive knowledge; but that which I have done 

 has been to seek most of the animals I endeavoured to keep in their natural habitats, 

 myself collecting and carrying them home; and I have ever thus gained important 

 hints towards success. The " money expression " of the matter of mackerel-keeping in 

 London or Paris is not practicable in the form in which Mr. Lloyd wishes me to 

 express it. It is not probable that anyone will incur an expense so disproportioned to 

 the result which could by any possibility he expected as that which would be obviously 

 necessary iu the case supposed by Mr. Lloyd. But, should it at any time be in con- 

 templation to construct a public aquarium of adequate size, and should I happen to 

 be consulted in the matter, 1 will promise that it shall (if my advice be taken) coutaiu 

 suitable accommodation for mackerel ; and that I shall be prepared to take those 

 animals to either London or Paris. For Mr. Lloyd's satisfaction I may say that, as 

 the means which I should have to organize for doing this would also serve to supply 

 economically all the requirements of the aquarium, mackerel could then be supplied 

 at as small a cost, and kept at as cheap a rate, as any other hungry fish of similar 

 size and habits. I may say that in the early part of last week two of the mackerel 

 were still living. The last of these disappeared on the uighl of the 2iHh of August, 

 and the deaths of all three are attributed by the persons now iu charge of the 

 aquarium to predacious fishes of large size, which were confined in the same basin 

 with them. This may or may not be the case, as there is no positive evidence to he 

 obtained as to whether they were eaten after death or caught whilst living. This 

 much, however, is certain, that during the past month they have been subjected to 

 such ill-treatment as would suffice to cause the ultimate (probably the immediate) 

 death of many fishes which it is known have been kept in aquaria during periods of 

 many years. I have this week been told that Hippocampus brevirostris has propagated 

 abuudautly in the aquarium of Arcachon ; my informant adds that the male carries 

 his progeny about upon his tail. — John Smith, late Keeper of Boulogne Aquarium i 

 Boulogne-mr-Mer, September 3, 18(57. 



The Oyster Fisheries of New South Wales.*— The oysters of New South Wales 

 may, for all practical purposes, be divided into two kinds: the mud-oyster, which 

 resembles the English oyster, is found in beds in comparatively still water, generally 

 unattached, or in clusters of two or three, having a soft shell, easily separated and 

 growing to a large size; specimens have often been found measuring twelve 

 inches by eight, with a depth of six inches: these oysters require great care to 

 keep them alive when once taken out of the water; some of them will not survive 

 for one day: they are not in demand, though there are extensive beds of them 



* From a paper, by Mr. R. Emerson, read at a Meeting of the Acclimatization 

 Society, on the 2o:h ol June, 1807. 



