— 271 — 



valli, the edible mussel (Mgtilus edulis) and, especially at Ta- 

 ranto, the much esteemed Mocliola barbata, are largely culti- 

 vated. In the Mare piccolo of Taranto the same system is used 

 as that practised for oysters. The reserved spaces are however 

 called quadri, enclosed as the sciajc by piles driven vertically 

 down ; the bigger ropes are called libani, and the dependent 

 smaller ones with free extremities again pergolari; the latter 

 usually number nearly 6000 in each quidro. The young mussels, 

 also called cria, are carefully collected and inserted into the 

 purposely uncoiled pergolari, where they fix themselves with 

 their byssus. In about eighteen months, during which they are 

 carefully kept clean, the pergolari being regularly aired to 

 kill parasites, they attain maturity. An average (quadro may 

 thus produce about 150,000 kilogrammes of mussels of the ap 

 proximate value of 17,000 lire (francs), including expenses. 

 The entire produce at Taranto has been calculated at 16,000 

 quintali per annum. In November, 1881, Dr. Giglioli was at Ta- 

 ranto, and visited the oyster and mussel culture establishments 

 on the Mare piccolo , but found their owners in great distress; 

 unusually violent storms a few days before had committed great 

 havoc amongst the sciaje and quadri, which those poor people 

 were busy cleansing and repairing. Quite recently my friend 

 Professor H. Issel, of Genoa, has published by Government 

 order a valuable treatise on oyster and mussel culture (Fstru- 

 z ioni per V Ostricoltura e la Mitilicoltura, Genova, 1882). 



VII. Conclusions. — The rapid and synthetical account 

 now concluded has, we trust, succeeded in giving a fair though 

 very general idea of Italian fisheries. Here and there are given 

 a few statiscal data, but it must be borne in mind that such 

 data can only be approximative. I should have wished before 

 concluding my task to have given more statistical data, such 

 being considered now-a days the best manner of expressing the 

 conditions of industrial undertakings and many other matters, 

 but few will contradict the assertion that of all sources of pro- 

 duce, fisheries are beyond doubt those to which it is most difficult 

 to apply that test, for obvious reasons. During the first session 

 of the Fisheries Committee, the witer of this ad to report on 



