IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND FEANCE. 179 



" But to all these allegations very forcible replies are given : 



a. It is generally agreed that not more than 20 per cent, or there- 

 abouts of the oysters are ever spawning at once, at least 80 per cent, 

 even at the worst of times being eatable and in good condition. The 

 celebrated naturalist, Kroyer, who undertook an official examination of 

 the Danish oyster beds, found not more than one oyster in ten spatting, 

 even in July and August. 



b. Those who have been in the habit of dredging for marine animals, 

 and of bringing up the most delicately-organized creatures in great 

 abundance alive, will not be disposed to attach much weight to this 

 objection. Every naturalist is aware that the most delicate Corallines 

 and Ascidians may be dredged up roughly, placed in a bucket of sea 

 water, and examined in full health and vigour after an hour's sail home- 

 ward under such circumstances. 



" The evidence of practical oyster cultivators whom we have examined 

 on this point is worthy of careful attention. 



" According to the opinions expressed by this and other witnesses, not 

 only is no harm done by dredging over the young spat, but positive 

 injury is the result of not dredging over the ground before the spat is 

 deposited. 



" But it is rare for the spatting to take place early in May, and if it 

 does, as the young oysters swim about for 22 to 27 days, dredging over 

 the beds cannot possibly do them harm for the greater part, if not the 

 whole month of May ; while if, as is more usual, the spatting does not 

 occur until June, July, or even August or September, not only may 

 dredging during these months be totally innocuous to the spat on account 

 of its not having settled ; but, on the theory that dredging over the spat 

 is injurious, great damage may be done in the two first of the open 

 months. 



" Even admitting a certain amount of destruction from dredging over 

 the spat, the question arises whether this destruction is likely to be 

 greater than that which will result from leaving the oyster to the undis- 

 puted sway of mussels, star-fishes, weeds, and mud 1 This is a question 

 which can only be decided by experience. In the present state of our 

 information it can only be said that legislative interference is just as 

 likely to do harm as good ; and that so far as the present close-time is 

 concerned, dredging in May must certainly have less effect upon the 

 brood than dredging in September." 



APPENDIX L. 



TO THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF FISHEEIES IN FRANCE. 



Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 

 the 27th June. 



In my last letter, of the 27th June, I had the honour of showing you 

 compendiously the state of the oyster culture in the basins of Arcachon, 

 and I explained to you the difficulties I experienced in collecting the 

 necessary information. My journey to Bordeaux to vote at the Plebis- 

 cite, the repairs required by the vessel, and the works urgently required 

 to be done on the beds at this time of the year, prevented me seeing the 

 parqueurs, to converse with them, to revisit their beds — in a word, to 

 study the question of the artificial reproduction of oysters in the basin of 

 Arcachon in a complete manner. 



I cannot to-day enter into the large details or give the necessary 



M 2 



