124 TRANSACTIONS LIYEEPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



to the feel. Under the microscope it seems to be composed 

 of very finely divided particles along with the remains of 

 many animals and microscopic plants amongst which I 

 find Diatoms, especially Navicula and Coscino discus, 

 Foraminifera, and sponge spicules. 



The Sevres Niortoise and other smaller streams which 

 flow into the bay of Aiguillon keep the water partly fresh 

 and this is said to be highly favourable for mussel culture. 

 The boucholeurs at Charron told me that the industry was 

 a thorough success, and what I saw led me to the same 

 conclusion. The mussels though not large seemed very 

 abundant. I saw large quantities gathered from the 

 bouchots and ready to be sent away to market. There 

 are also a few systems of bouchots to the south of La 

 Kochelle, at Chatelaillon, but not many; while mussels are 

 grown on the bed system on various parts of the French 

 coast. Many people say in France that the mussels 

 grown on the bouchots are better than those from the beds. 

 It may be so, but although I have tasted both I cannot 

 be sure of it. There can be no doubt that the chief reason 

 of the extensive cultivation by means of bouchots in the 

 Bay of Aiguillon is simply that no other plan would suc- 

 ceed there. The mud is so very soft and so constantly 

 forming that mussel beds could not be established — any- 

 thing placed on the bottom is very soon smothered in mud. 

 Consequently I am inclined to think that where mussels 

 can be grown successfully in beds it is best to adhere to 

 that mode of culture ; while on the other hand in some of 

 our muddy estuaries it might be worth while to try 

 bouchots. 



The Scottish Fishery Board have been trying some 

 experiments lately with bouchots at St. Andrews, without 

 it seems much success. For one thing, it costs more both 

 for the first establishment and also for subsequent labour 



