4U8 INVEUTEBBATES. 



months of June, July, and August, the oysters- breed, and are 

 considered unfit for food. At this time the young, called " spat," 

 are deposited in enormous numbers. They instantly adhere to the 

 substance among which they fallj and this, -whatever it be, is 

 called « culteh." ^ 



The oysters are taken in the proper season by the " dredge," 

 a kind of small net fastened round an iron frame-work, which 

 scoops up the oysters and many other marine animals. 



The part of the oyster called the " beard," is in reality the 

 respiratory apparatus. 



The Pearl Oyster is the animal from which those highly- 

 valued ornaments, pearls, are extracted. The pearl is nothing 



Pearl Oyeter. 



more than " nacre," deposited in the shape of globular drops in- 

 stead of being spread over the inner surface of the shell, in which 

 case it is known as Mother-of-pearl. 



These valuable shells are found both in the Old and New 

 World. Ceylon is very famous for its pearl fisheries. The fisher- 

 men are trained to remain a long time under water, and assisted 



