Morning journal and courier., 1885-03-09
FS'EERS.

| Their Duration of Life Out of the
| Water-Observations ON the Subject
| And Regarding the Food of These
| BiValves.
| Some time last fall clipped the following
from the COURIER, which to me is very in
| teresting:
| the rubber boot which found off Lighthouse
Point in New Haven on WHICH were found, as near
could be ascertained 1850 oysters, varying in
size from mere sPecks to full size is now on e4hibi
| Birmingham
This notice has recently led me to an ex-
| animation and study of a cluster of oysters
also attached to piece of rubber boot
| which was taken from grounds belonging to
| the Messrs. Luddington in Long Island
| Sound, off the entrance to the port, near the
breakwater, and now exhibition in a
window of Mr.. Henry Willard Smiths market
| No. SO CHURCH street, opposite the postofice
in this city.
An examination of these bivalves, which re.
present the growth of years, viz, 1881, 1882,
1888, 1884, clearly demonstrates to my mind
the annual growth for each of these years
and now serve as the best subjects of the
kind which have been brought to my notice
for observation and study. They make
valuable specimens for those interested in
ascertaining how long an oyster will live
after leaving it's natural element.
These oysters were taken from the water,
Mr.. Smith tells me, December 18th, 1884 He
had made purchase on that date from the
aforesaid firm, who then presented him with
this cluster for exhibition. The cluster has
been exhibited in his windows hung to gas
vi uJI,a 1o1
in every direction to view and to-day bid fair
to live several days longer, provided tenn
perature between 80 and IS degrees Fahren-
heit is maintained where they are.
From this exhibition we notice
hat several of this cluster
hang with the hinges which connect the
shell together) upwards, which would seem
TO be a position unfavorable to support life,
as the liquor which must sustain the life of
the oyster will naturally escape from its
storage in the cavity between the shells.
These, however, now seem to be in a better
condition than others whose positions are
just the opposite and whose life is nearly ex-
tinct, the proof being established by carefully
lifting with a thin -bladed knife the shells,
the former emitting its liquid nour-
ishnent and the latter none. The
latter are now in the state
called by oystermen dry" having consumed
all its nourishment and must soon enter a
dscomposed state.
1 have it from the best authority not only
of this country, but of England and France,
that oysters kept in a cold cellar have been
known to live three months; and
it has been my experience that if
taken carefully from the water and
packed in barrels with numerous holes CUT
to admit air of an even temperature, and
packed so to keep the shells closed and
prevent the nourishment they have in store.
and which they require, from escaping, they
might be made to exist longer than three
months and still be fit for use We might
add here that the oyster when it has reached
this state dry is considered by epicures one
of the most delicate morssls
The question has often been asked. 'What
do shell fish feed on!' We know from the
Investigations of Professors Verrill and
Smith, of Yale college, and others learned in
this science, that they subsist on myriads OF
vegetable and animal matter, which are
found in greater quantities in some waters
than others and where the currents are
strongest. The Quinnipiae river at New
Haven, for instance, is place where this
noar. shnent abounds as it does anywhere:
VIII re rapidity of current fetches an abun-
dan supply, as along the head of the beach
and around the breakwater In Morris Cove
there is vertical rise and circular move
men consequently the supply of food cannot
be replenished and these shell fishes consume
all within their re6ch and are not thrifty in
their growth.
Another thing notice, and time, think,
will prove the theory correct, that large
amount of animalcuiae are attracted to the
surface by sun or moonlight. These
remain on the bottom or intermediate
space in harbor or river. We
notice oysters taken from natural beds
and placed in floats and kept in six inches or
q foot Of water seem to bloat or fatten, and |
this would seem to suggest more feed at the |
surface than at the bottom. Oysters laid
down in our waters in the spring of the year