OYSTER CULTURE. 197 
been put into successful operation. Many hundred mil- 
lion of these delicious bivalves (they are sold in France 
by the hundred, or count, and not by the bushel as with 
us) now flourish and fatten in shallow bays and basins, 
where, a few years since, not a solitary specimen could be 
taken, owing to the thoughtless and improvident, industry 
of the fishermen, who captured and sold every oyster 
they could find, regardless of season, size, or condition. 
As a natural consequence the native growth was exter- 
minated, and it seemed probable that a source of profit- 
able labor was gone forever from a very considerable 
number of the Radia class on the seaboard, who, in over- 
populated France, could ill afford to lose one chance of 
earning their few sous a day; while, on the other hand, 
the tables of the rich were likely to be deprived of one of 
their favorite and most esteemed luxuries. 
Just at this time, in 1858-9, Professor Coste settled a 
long-mooted point in natural history, namely, that the 
oyster—in common with many of the lower order of aceph- 
alous animals—is hermaphrodite, combining both sexes 
in the same individual, and his theory of its generation 
is substantially as follows :— 
Possibly the second year, but certainly the third year, 
the oyster reproduces its kind. During the summer, 
at seasons varying with locality and temperature from 
April to July, many hundred thousand ova are simul- 
taneously produced in capsules provided for them ; 
these ova are fecundated at an early period of their 
growth, long before their increase of size and weight 
causes shows to burst the ovarian capsules, and com- 
mence their existence in the milky fluid which is pre- 
pared for them at this time. The ova are especially en- 
veloped and protected by the branchial folds of the 
