OYSTER. 56l 
out they turn on the other side ; they remove not 
from their place, unless in cold weather, to cover 
themselves in the ouse. 
“ The reason of the scarcity of oysters, and con- 
sequently of their dearness, is, because they are of 
late years bought up by the Dutch. 
« There are great penalties, by the admiralty 
court, laid upon those that fish out of those grounds 
which the court appoints, or that destroy the cultch, 
or that take any oysters that are not of size ; or that 
do not tread under their feet, or throw upon the 
shore, a fish which they call a Jive-Jinger, resem- 
bling a spur-rowel ; because that fish gets into the 
oysters when they gape, and sucks them out. The 
reason why such a penalty is set upon any that shall 
destroy the cultch is, because they find that if that 
be taken away, the ouse will increase, and the 
muscles and cockles will breed there, and destroy 
the oysters, they having not whereon to stick their 
spat. 
« The oysters are sick after they have spat ; but 
in June and July they begin to mend, and in Au- 
gust they are perfectly well: the male oyster is 
black-sick , having a black substance in the fin ; the 
female white-sick (as they term it), having a milky 
substance in the fin. They are salt in the pits, 
salter in the layers, but salter at sea.” 
Oysters are said to attach their shells to different 
substances, so as to secure themselves in the situa- 
tion where they choose to remain, notwithstanding 
the agitation of the sea. Rocks, stones, pieces of 
2 o 
VOL. 11. 
