132 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



M. Daste and others however are all agreed that we 

 might do a great deal more in this country than we now 

 do in the way of rearing up young oysters and fattening 

 them for the market. Daste has visited the west coast of 

 Scotland and he mentioned to me Campbeltown and Aros 

 in the sound of Mull (a locality I know well) as being 

 places that had struck him as being well suited for oyster 

 culture. I have no doubt there are parts of our own 

 district which are equally favourable. It is of importance 

 if the oysters are kept in shallow water, that the tempera- 

 ture in winter should not be too low, and that is a point 

 upon which I feel we require further information in regard 

 to the various parts of our district. 



As to the other conditions, a gravelly mud bottom 

 sufficiently firm to bear up the weight of the shell so that 

 the exceedingly delicate respiratory organs of the animal 

 should not be injured by much mud being carried in by 

 the water currents, possibly a certain admixture of fresh 

 water, and abundance of good food are what seem most 

 favourable to oyster growth. The food must be micros- 

 copic, and about 90% of it is usually Diatoms — so these 

 lowly plants are the most important things to look for in 

 estimating the oyster rearing capacity of a particular 

 region. 



Finally in regard to Mussels there seems to be a 

 difference of opinion as to whether a hot season is favour- 

 able or the reverse. I was distinctly given to understand 

 at Oleron that heat was not good for them, and that they 

 were disappearing because of the hot summers, but on the 

 other hand there is the positive fact which I came across 

 at Arcachon that the uncultivated and unwished for mussels 

 are increasing in numbers over the oyster pares, where the 

 temperature of the water is the highest I met with. 



I have already given my conclusions in regard to the 



