OYSTERS AFFECTED BY MUSIC.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 32, 9 August 1890, Page 8

OYSTERS AFFECTED BY MUSIC.

‘Oh, come now, I can’t believe that,’ our aquatic reporter replied. ‘ Nor could I,’ replied the oyster dealer, coolly, until some years ago. I had some men on a boat off Queenborough dredging. ...About seven o’clock on a warm April evening the crew had finished their work and were lying on the deck. The cook, to amuse them, picked up his violin and commenced the captain’s song from ‘ Pinafore. ’ ‘ What !’ shrieked our dismayed reporter. ‘ I told you this was some years ago,’ continued the oysterman. ‘ Try to imagine the crew’s surprise when suddenly the surfaceof the waters around them was filled with oysters, all of them with their shells open an making for the boat. ’ ‘ I don’t'wonder at it,’ said our representative. ‘ They certainly had great provocation,’ returned the Southend oystershifter, ‘ but I’ll give you visible proof of what I say ; ’ and picking up an accor dion he led the way to a basket of natives and commenced to play ‘ Home, Sweet Home.’

The result was astonishing. Instantly almost every one of the shells twas opened and the bivalves made the most violent efforts to get out of the basket at the player. Different tunes affected different oysters. The Blue Points seemed to dislike the old ballad, ‘ Sweet Violets,’the Dutch the song, ‘ Mother Close the Wash-house Door.’ ‘ You see,’ said the oysterman, ‘ that what I said is true. Oysters are susceptible to music, but here's the secret of it; they only open their shells because they want to bite the musician. ’