538 Pi'of. T. R. Jones — Destruction of Marine Animals. 



4. In the summer of 1866 a shallow- water area in Morecamb 

 Bay was full of dead and dying salmon, owing probably to the water 

 being highly heated by the sun (Newspaper). 



5. " Mortality among Salmon. — During the last three or four days 

 the residents in the neighbourhood of Eockliffe and Burgh Marshes 

 have witnessed the recurrence of an extraordinary phenomenon con- 

 nected with the Salmonidoe of the Solway. After each tide the shore 

 has been found strewed with dead and dying salmon and salmon 

 trout, presenting no indication of the cause of death. We have 

 heard of some 50 fish being found on the sands of Eockliffe Marsh, 

 and we believe that on the Burgh Marsh side of the river a much 

 larger number have been picked up. It will be remembered that a 

 similar occurrence took place last year, when various theories were 

 put forth as to the cause of death. . The fact, however, that the 

 mortality of last year was accompanied by the same conditions of 

 weather and water as that of this year seems to settle the doubt as 

 satisfactorily as probably it ever will be settled. During the whole 

 of last week the Eden had fallen unusually low ; the tides were also 

 low ; while, at the same time, the weather was exceedingly warm. 

 The chronicler of meteorological observations at Silloth records ' a 

 week of brilliant summer weather, sky almost cloudless ; solar radia- 

 tion great, and atmosphere very dry.' The sun would, therefore, 

 play with unwonted power upon the shallow water at the mouth of 

 the Eden, raising its temperature, and sickening its finny inhabitants 

 even unto death. There is little doubt, in fact, that the fish left by 

 the tide have either died of a sun-stroke, or have been so much 

 sickened and weakened by the action of the sun as to be unable to 

 get away with the receding tide" (Carlisle Journal). 



6. " The French Oyster Harvest. — For some time fears had been 

 entertained that the oyster-beds on the west coast of France would 

 suffer from the intense heat prevalent throughout Europe, but the 

 most despondent owners had not anticipated so complete a disaster 

 as that which has overtaken them. It is now certain that the 

 harvest of this year will be a total failure; in many cases the beds 

 are entirely depopulated, and their owners ruined. The damage to 

 individuals is estimated at over 2,000,000f , and the Government 

 will also be a heavy loser. The elfect on the Paris prices has been 

 very marked, many restaurants charging from four to five francs a 

 dozen. From Arcachon a very singular result of the heat is re- 

 ported, which at one moment threatened to produce a regular pesti- 

 lence. The muddy shore near that place is at low water the resort 

 of innumerable eels, which bury themselves in the slime till the 

 return of the tide. The excessive heat, by drying up the mud, had 

 killed them in thousands, and the smell of their dead bodies, washed 

 up and down by the tide, was beginning to spread fever in the 

 neighbourhood. A large number of fishermen were therefore en- 

 gaged to collect them in heaps on the beach, whence they were 

 carted inland and buried. The total amount thus disposed of was 

 over 400 cartloads" (Neivspaper, August, 1869). 



VIII. 1. Hugh Miller long ago observed the destructive effects of 



