Class VI. 



OSTREA. OYSTER. 



229 



' they put into pits about three feet deep in the 

 ' salt-marshes, which are overflowed only at 

 ' spring-tides, to which they have sluces, and 

 ' let out the sault-water until it is about a foot 

 ' and half deep. 



' These pits, from some quality in the soil 

 ' co-operating with the heat of the sun, will 

 ' become green, and communicate their colour 

 ' to the oysters that are put into them in four 

 '-or five days, though they commonly let them 

 ' continue there six weeks or two months, in 

 ' which time they will be of a dark green. 



' To prove that the sun operates in the 



greening, Tolesbiay pits will green only in 

 ' summer ; but that the earth hath the greater 

 ' power, Brickel-Sea pits green both winter 

 ' and summer : and for a further proof, a pit 

 ' within a foot of a greening-pit will not green; 

 •' and those that did green very well, will in 

 ' time lose their quality. 



' The oysters, when the tide comes in, lie 

 ' with their hollow shell downwards, and when 

 ' it goes out, they turn on the other side ; they 

 ' remove not from their place, unless in cold 

 ' weather, to cover themselves in the ouse. 



' Tlie reason of the scarcity of oysters, and 

 ' consequently of their dearness, is, because 

 * they are of late years bought up by the Dutch. 



