174 Report of the Board of Shell Fish Commissioners 



from the Steamer Governor R. M. McLane, it being considered 

 unsafe to undertake to run sounding lines in such bold waters 

 so far from harbor with the Launch Canvasback. Owing to the 

 difficulties under which this work was carried on, the number 

 of lines across each oyster ground is not as great as might be 

 desired, but they are sufficiently close together to enable the 

 outlines of the oyster producing areas to.be fairly accurately 

 drawn. 



Four of the grounds surveyed, covering an area of 5,458 acres, 

 were found to be in a condition sufficiently productive of oysters 

 to be placed in the category of natural oyster bars, but the 

 remaining ground was so depleted that four oysters only were 

 taken at 16 stations, five of which were examined with a dredge. 

 No shells whatever were found at five of the places examined 

 and but 17 shells at the remaining 11 stations. 



Lieutenant Winslow did not carry his survey in 1878 far 

 beyond the mouth of Kedge Straits and it is therefore not 

 possible to compare the present condition of the dredging 

 grounds in the section under consideration with their former 

 condition. 



In a section so located a very great fluctuation probably takes 

 place in the condition of the oyster grounds from year to year. 

 Shells completely covered at one time during storms may 

 be again brought to the surface during succeeding storms and 

 when again exposed quickly secure an abundant set of young 

 oysters because of the conditions unusually favorable in the 

 Bay for securing a set of spat. 



The bottoms on Church Creek, South West Middle Ground 

 and Kedge Straits bars are composed almost entirely of sand, 

 and such bottoms are often shifted during storms especially in 

 places- depleted of shells arid oysters. The bottom on the part of 

 Oyster Creek bar nearest South Marsh is composed of sticky 

 mud, but sandy bottoms are found on .the off shore parts. 

 Church Creek and South West Middle Ground bars lie west of 

 Smiths Island, the first at a distance of about one mile,* in 

 water varying in depth from 15 to 22 feet, the second about 3.5 

 miles, in water 13 to 36 feet deep. Kedge Straits bar is situated 

 about one-half mile southeast from Holland Bar Light, in water 

 from 14 to 20 feet deep. Oyster Creek bar, a part of which 



