Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners 39 



of the Winslow survey, and to demonstrate that the tonging 

 method is superior to a dredging method for ascertaining the 

 facts desired. 



The usual amount of time spent in making an examination 

 at a station is ten minutes, but in some cases they cover fifteen 

 minutes and at others a satisfactory result is secured in five 

 minutes. 



DATA COLLECTED AND RECORDED. 



While the tongman is at work, the depth of water is measured 

 and a sample of the water is collected from near the bottom and 

 tested with a thermometer and salinometer to ascertain the 

 amount of salts it contains. Measurements of the rate of flow 

 of the currents are also frequently made. Specimens of 

 water 12 are collected at each oyster ground and taken to the 

 laboratory for future examination as to the quantity of oyster 

 food contained. 



As soon as the tonging is done the material, caught and 

 placed on the culling board, is divided into four piles; the 

 shells, culls (undersized oysters), oysters of medium size and 

 large oysters being carefully separated, measured and counted. 

 The results of each examination together with the number of 

 the station, the amount of ground covered, the number of the 

 flag buoy, the name of the tongman and the number of "grabs" 

 made with the tongs, are recorded in a field record book, a 

 specimen page of which is reproduced below. 



MARYLAND SHELL FISH COMMISSION. 



FIELD RECORDS OF EXAMINATIONS' OF OYSTER BEDS. 



County, Somerset. 



Local Name of Oyster Ground, S. W. Middle Ground Bar. 



Date, July 28, 1907. 



Time, 2:42-2:49. 



Angle, 23 E. 



Depth, 19 feet. 



Bottom, hard stony. 



i2See page 192. 



