SEA-FISHERIES LABORATORY. 133 



laboratory at University College, but the examination of 

 the beds at Lytham and Fleetwood would be better done 

 from Piel. An examination will also be made of the 

 Cockle beds of the district as far as time permits. 



The question has been raised whether Mussels which 

 are no longer quite young and which have been torn off 

 from their first supports, or which have been detached 

 from larger Mussels, as in separating up bunches, are 

 able to fix themselves anew. It is known to Zoologists 

 that Mussels are able to produce byssus threads at any 

 time and so re-attach themselves to any foreign object, 

 consequently there can be no doubt that the smaller 

 individuals torn off a bunch, will, if thrown back promptly 

 into suitable ground, be able to spin fresh byssus round 

 neighbouring objects and so become anchored. In order 

 to settle the question quite definitely we have made some 

 observations in the laboratory during the last year, and 

 especially quite recently. One of our tanks had a number 

 of young Mussels, varying in size from half an inch to 

 an inch and a half in length, put in last June. These 

 after climbing about the sides of the tank for some time 

 attached themselves by means of byssus threads in various 

 positions. They were occasionally detached, and were 

 usually found re-attached after a few days. That has 

 gone on during the last eight months. The Mussels that 

 now survive in the tank have increased considerably in 

 size one being over 2 inches and another 3 inches in length. 

 The former of these was torn off from the side of the tank 

 lately and was thrown into the middle. In two days 

 it was found re-attached by byssus to the glass. Again, on 

 February 4th the largest Mussel, measuring 3 inches in 

 length, 11 inches in breadth, and 1| inches in thickness, 



