802 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



a section across the river just above Deep Water Light, at 



low water, spring tide Comparing the specific 



gravity of the water obtained in the sections with that of 

 two stations below Deep Water Light, which was obtained 

 nearly at high water, the difference of density was so slight 

 that it can hardly have any material effect upon the oysters, 

 and, except during long continued freshets, which occur 

 sometimes during the spring, the animals in all probability 

 do not suffer therefrom. 



According to the oystermen, during the winter ice 

 frequently grounds on the shoal spots on the beds, but 

 never remains there long, unless the weather is of unusual 

 severity, the strength of the current and the variability of 

 the climate being sufficient to remove the ice in a short 

 space of time. As to the amount of damage done to the 

 oysters by ice, opinions varied a good deal ; the general 

 impression was that, though the oysters were poorer in 

 quality and flavour, the ice did not remain long enough to 

 kill many of them. Only a few persons could be interro- 

 gated, and they were not very intelligent, but, in the 

 absence of any opportunity to investigate the matter our- 

 selves, their opinion is given. 



All the beds in the James River are subject to the 

 deposit of mud and vegetable matter brought down by the 



freshets that occur in the spring The spring 



freshets always cover the Mulberry Point, Point of Shoals, 

 and Jail Island Beds, but not always for a sufficient time to 

 very seriously damage the oysters, the current managing to 

 sweep off the deposit in time to expose the cultch to the 

 spat. Occasionally the damage is great ; for instance, we 

 were informed that during 1871 and 1872 there were a 

 succession of heavy freshets, which destroyed the fishing 

 for several years. In 1876, the mud having been washed 



