Part 41 (1/2)

_Courtesy of the U S Bureau of Fisheries_]

Beyond the laboratory building was the wharf to which the two steam yachts attached respectively to the station and the M B L were tied up Beyond that again was a second pier, that of the Revenue Cutter service, where lay, with banked fires, one of the guardians of American seas, a man ever on duty at the wireless receiver Beyond the pier the land curved to the point opposite the Elizabeth Islands, while in the narrow strait or 'hole' between, the tide for all Buzzards Bay surged out or in as the ebb and flow compelled

As captain of the fish-trap crew and active in collection, Colin had the run of both laboratories and the day always seeator's as a matter of personal interest to hih too tired to drea, and at the beach in Buzzards Bay he swam a mile or so each day, the admiration and the envy of all the M B L students But Colin speedily won their friendshi+p, for he never hesitated to help other swi little tricks of style that were all his own and which had gone far to win him his championshi+p

As Director Prelatt had proiven an opportunity to keep soh he found--as had been foretold--that he had but little ti and iation, which, like all those that were in progress at the laboratory, had a strong economic value This was the study of the life history of the whelk

”At first sight,” the director said to hih the biology of a sea-snail were a matter of much ireat extent the oyster industry--which reaches ives employment as well as food to thousands of people--depends upon that very thing”

”Just how, Mr Prelatt?” inquired Colin

”All creatures have their own special ene is so equally balanced that there are enough oysters born to keep up the supply in spite of the attacks of the whelk, or oyster-drill as it is termed When e the oysters, the coether is too much for the oyster-beds and they soon become depleted”

”That's the way it is with fish, too!”

”With everything,” was the assenting answer ”Now there are tays to overcome this condition One is the way in which we handle the sa s every year than would have been hatched during a state of nature The other is by attacking the ene the chances of those that hatch naturally The latter we can't do with fish”

”Why not, sir?”

”Because the ene,” was the answer, ”and also because fish produce an enors

Oysters do also, but fertilization is so largely a gs ever really have a chance to beco oysters You can help that in tays, one by preparing the ground so that everything isoysters to have a chance, the other by thinning the oysters or 'spat' as they are called, iht to help settle it, I should think”

”It is not enough Enemies also must be kept at bay”

”I should think the oyster, in its tough shell, would be practically free from enee nureat many kinds of fish, such as skates, for example, will eat oysters, and s with an actual stockade of stakes”

”Like the pioneers had against the Indians?”

”Just the same,” assented the director ”Drum-fish are hostile on the Atlantic coast, and on the Pacific a very substantial stockade is required against the invasion of sting-rays More destructive still are the starfish”

Colin stared at the director in surprise

”Starfish!+” he said, ”those little starfish? Why, they're soft and they haven't any teeth or anything to crush an oyster shell with”

”They're small and they're soft and they haven't any teeth at all,” said the director, ”but starfish cost the oyster industry at least five million dollars a year”

”But how?” queried Colin; ”I don't see how they can work it”

”What is a starfish?”

The boy thought for a enerally with five arms, that lives only in the sea, has a sianis,” said the director ”It lives only in the sea, that's right enough, but you haven't proper regard for a starfish's powers of digestion It feeds on mussels, oysters and other shellfish

Can it swim?”