86 
are more crowded and exposed, which accounts for the difference in 
size. Fig. II. shows the screen on which the bait mussels are 
placed, and those that fall through between the bars are taken 
back to the beds to grow bigger. The space between the bars is 
about f inches. Mussels about this thickness and as long as two 
inches are considered a fair bait size. On the north side of the 
Waren a large area is covered with sea-grass, Zoster a marina; but 
although spat frequently settles here, it always dies off and never 
grows to any size. The sea-grass does not seem to be such an 
effective shelter for the mussels as Fucus serratus. The latter is 
sometimes swept away by the storms, and when once this is 
withdrawn the mussels are soon carried off and lost. Fucus 
vesiculosus also affords valuable shelter. 
Close to the river, just above the mussel bed, is a small oyster 
bed, enclosed by walls on which grow many good-sized mussels. 
The Budle mussels altogether are fine and healthy, those from the 
sand and stream-channels are as a rule smooth, and little over- 
grown with other animals or plants, although those in the streams 
are much bored by the Annelid, Polydora ciliata (see end of paper). 
Those from the stones are frequently covered with the common 
barnacle, Balanus balanoides (L.). The stomachs are full of food, 
chiefly vegetable, but microscopic Crustacea are present in fair 
numbers. There are almost equal proportions of male and female 
mussels. According to Mr. King* the mussels spawn in July, 
August, and September, but are much influenced by temperature, a 
cold season delaying the process considerably. Mr. Mitchell finds 
that there are two breeding seasons, one in Spring and one about 
August. The mussels last year (1906) were certainly ripe at the 
end of April, but the spatting continues in the summer months and 
is quite over by the beginning of October, by which date all the 
mussels are spent. The largest deposits of spat occur at the end of 
the summer. 
Some of the commonest mollusks living on the beds are Cardium 
edule, Mya arenaria, Lutraria elliptica , Macoma balthica, Littorina 
littorea, L. rudis, L. obtnsata, Trochus cinereus, Purpura lapillus, 
and Patella vulgata. 
The facts stated above show that Budle is being well looked 
after, and little can be suggested for its improvement as a mussel 
farm. 
* Op. cit., p. 4. 
