Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-06

X a. Tar In ecifnce.
Man in sorracr times, and even 81 pre-
sen, in some localities, might be clssssd
with the enemies Of the oyster. But
new. when be is introducing artificial
means for their multiplication. instesd
Of an enemy be becomes their pro-
iector. There are animals. harmless
looking and small. which do far moro
dsmsee to this delicious shell-ash than
man. and that, too. without giving any,
thing in return. The many which are
destroyed BY human agency become
few ben compared 20 those killed ~
their smaller foes.
The oyster, although protected by
very bard shell that can be closed al
most hermetcally. is. en- the whole.
rather poorly defended, for there he
lies. right on The open bottom. exposed
70 everything that NAV chance 10 come
along, without any power 70 move away
and crawl into some crevice. but 1es-
tined 10 remain motionless while attack
cd. Two kinds Of animals DO the most
damage-one, the common starhsh
lAsterias Forbesii). the other = uni-
valve spiral sheil.fish called by oyster
men the " drill " tEarOSalpinx cine
real.
A stRrhsh approaches its victim,
slowly erAwls upon II. and then beads
It's Eve arms around the she'll. The
mouth Of q starfsh is so snail that an
oyster q qaArter Of al inch long ccsld
rot be taken INTO il. So what does u
do. when its arms are encircled around
the large oyster, but begin TO project
its stomach out Of IL mouth and
surround the oyster with It's stomach
entirely outside Of the body. Then
the oyster gradually opens us shell,
leaving the starfish TO do a. II plesses.
Amer awhile the stArfsh moves OF,
and We see that large part Of the oys-
ter is gone. When the stomach Is first
proiruded liquid is excreted which
seems 10 have the power Of either kill
ing or weakening the oyster. Jus; as
soon as the shells are open digestion Is
begun BY the stArhsh. and after short
time the hunger OF the starhsh is salts
fed and the oyster is dead. Be
fore long the star6sh feels like
another meal. and be attacks
another oyster, leaving the old one as
prey TO small crabs and shrimp. And
so Il goes on day after day, thousands
operating in the same manner. At
times they come IN immense swarms
from deeper water. IN a single night en-
tirely destroying large bed. In brack-
ISL water they do not flourish. bat In
the almost pure ocean water found in
some oyster-iaising districts the de-
struction is immense, and there Is no
remedy.
If some shesl-fsh for which the star
fish have 3 preference could be intro
duced among the oysters. perhaps the
devastation might be partially checked.
Oystermen formerly had the stupid
habit Of tearing every starfish that
happened to come in their way into
pieces, throwing the fragments over
board. They were notsware that each
arm had the power Of reproducing the
remaining four arms and becoming .
perfect star. so that each time one was
torn into two or three pieces, two on
three new individuals were formed.
The other enemy, the sO-called drill. 7"
is well named. for its peculiar opera
tons are based upon its boring or drill
ing powers. Although seldom an inch
long. il can bore q hole through the
hard shell Of al oyster with surprising
speed. The hole is always smooth and
about in the same place, 4 spot cover
ing & vital part being the point IT
tackled. Similar - drills" " operate on
other species Of shell-fsh, and then
deadly marks can Toe seen Oh the valves
Of the shells which are washed upon
our beaches. In any collection ol
shells, and on any beach. numerous
examples Of the neatly-drilled hole cAa
be found.
In the soft animal part OF the /" drill '
there is a little tube-like proboscis which
encloses another proboscis. Over th<
end Of the latter there runs little rib
bon which is covered with teeth. Thi,
ribbon. OF odontophore, is attached II
each end on the two opposite SIDES o.
the inner prohoscis. By mean
Of the ribbon it may b
pulled back and forth over "a,
end Of the snout, with the teeth project
ing outward. When the oyster is h
be attacked, the end Of the snout i
pressed against that part Of the shell Il
be bored, and the muscles begin q
work the toothed strap. The teetl
rasp away at the Shell, each time re
moving particles Of calcareous matte
until hole is bored. Then the ras,
acts upon the flesh inside, and as tn
meat is removed it is drawn 10 Ia
mouth and eaten.
The drill" after eating q meal
leaves its victim. and later Attacks al
other. BY the time il has finished IL
meal the oyster is dead, and its shel
flies open. leaving the rest 10 crabs an
shrimp. Filing away upon The bar
shell wears the teeth away rapidly. bu
this is rcmedied by nature, for one en-
Of the strap is gradually absorbed, Will
from the other end new supply {
toothed ribbon is being formed. 81
Oh ore side Of the proboscis, there m
fresh unused teeth; on the other side
old worn ones and on the end, tee;
just being worn /; and the whole gradr
ally moving away to one end. 10 be al
sorbed while other fresh oces are bein
formed.