Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners 161 

 Monie Bay. 



The waters situated east of the line limiting the eastern 

 boundary of Nanticoke Sound, and south of the line limiting 

 the mou^h of Wicomico River, are known in this report as 

 Monie Bay. 



The oyster-producing bottoms have been charted as one bar, 

 containing 50 acres, to which the name of Buoy has been 

 given. By reference to charts 4a and 4b on page 158, it will 

 be seen that much of the ground which produced oysters in 1878 

 is now barren. 



All gradations of bottom from hard sand to soft mud are 

 found in the bar. Hard bottoms predominate, however, and are 

 much more densely covered with oysters than those which are 

 muddy. The depth of water pver the bar varies from 9 to 15 

 feet. The maximum observed velocity of the flow in the channel 

 was .65 mile per hour. On September 9th, the water had a 

 density of 1.0072 and on September 13th, of 1.0094. The density 

 fluctuates considerably with each tide, the ebb from Wicomico 

 Eiver carrying with it a considerable quantity of fresh water. 



On account of the absence of crabbing ground in this bay the 

 bottom's are available for lease for oyster culture, and 12 lots 

 leased for this purpose under the former byster culture law are 

 now in use. 



Wicomico River. 



A line about three-quarters of a mile in length connecting 

 the point forming the south-eastern extremity of Wicomico 

 County with Wingate Point on the Somerset County shore, 

 limits the mouth of the Wicomico Eiver. Oysters will grow in 

 the waters of the river to a point near White Haven, about five 

 miles above the mouth, but no natural bar exists beyond Mt. 

 Vernon wharf. The section of the river, falling within the 

 limits of Somerset County, lies below the deep water channel 

 and contains two natural oyster bars, covering an area of 58 

 acres. No comparison of the present condition of the oyster 

 grounds with that in ^878 can be made since the survey carried 

 on by Lieutenant Winslow did not extend beyond the limits of 

 Monie Bay. 



