202 OYSTER CULTURE. 
which it is provided, fixes itself exactly over what is 
commonly called the eye of the oyster, and by means of 
a rough file-like tongue, which it moves forward and back, 
over the chosen spot, soon drills a round hole through the 
shell, and sucks out the life and juices of the oyster at its 
Ioisure. 
The Winkles are a much larger species of the same 
tribe, and destroy the oyster in a similar manner, only 
not being so numerous, they cause less damage, and are 
not so much dreaded by the oyster planter as the little 
Drill. 
The oysters to be found on the carte of any good res- 
taurant in Paris are,—the common oyster, price fifteen 
cents per dozen; the Ostend, price thirty-five cents pcr 
dozen; the Marennes, or green, price thirty-five cents per 
dozen; and the Imperial, price forty cents per dozen. 
Each variety has a peculiarity, and its special admirers. 
The last three, during the winter months, are fat and full- 
flavored, though small; the Ostend and Imperial being 
English born, but cultivated and manipulated in France. 
The French oyster-shell is more round and flat than our 
-own, the body lying in a sudden deep depression close up 
to the hinge, while a considerable space of the interior of 
the shell is unoccupied by anything except the mantle. A 
dozen of either of the last three varieties is a better appe- 
tizer to commence a dinner with, than any kind known in 
this country ; while for cooking in every form, the much 
larger size of the American oyster renders it by far, 
_ The French lay great stress upon having the shell of 
this oyster extremely clean (bien nettoyé). A gentleman 
at Marennes, who cultivates the green oyster, has recently 
. a tide-mill—for which he has a patent—for the 
