abstracts: fisheries 97 



FISHERIES. — Condition and extent of the natural oyster beds of Delaware. 

 H. F. Moore. Bureau of Fisheries Document 745. Pp. 30, 1 chart. 

 1911. 



The State of Delaware, following the example of various other oyster 

 producing States, recently solicited a Federal survey of her natural oyster 

 grounds in Delaware Bay. Dr. Moore, representing the Bureau of 

 Fisheries, was in charge of the work, which had for its specific purpose 

 the accurate location and charting of the natural oyster beds and mves- 

 tigat on of their present condition and productiveness. 



Of the 16,435 acres (over 25 square miles) explored with sounding 

 lines and chains, 2,144 acres were found to be included in areas of vary- 

 ing degrees of productiveness. These represented a total oyster con- 

 tent estimated after careful examination to be 189,035 bushels. Each 

 bed is described and details of the examinations are tabulated to show 

 dense, scattering, very scattering and depleted areas in each case, the 

 number of each kind of oysters (seed and market) actually caught per 

 square yard, and the estimated content per acre. 



Tides, currents and salinity of the water were noted, as was also the 

 presence of probability of enemies of the oyster. Of these the drill was 

 found to be the most destructive in this region. 



The chart accompanying the report is of large size and replete with 

 data as to character of oyster growth, depths and character of bottom, in 

 addition to accurate delineation of the oyster beds. E. M. Smith. 



PHARMACOLOGY. — The effects of a number of derivatives of choline 

 and analogous compounds on the blood pressure. Reid Hunt and 

 R. de M. Taveau, Hygienic Laboratory, U. S. Public Health and 

 Marine-Hospital Service. Bulletin of the Hygienic Laboratory, 

 No. 73. 1911. 



This bulletin discusses the methods of preparation and the physio- 

 logical action of 79 compounds related to choline; most of them had not 

 previously been made. Some of these substances have more pronounced 

 effects upon the circulation than any drugs previously known and it is 

 probable that some of them will ultimately prove of practical importance. 

 The relation between the chemical constitution and the physiological 

 action of the members of this group of compounds was studied as the 

 basis for further work in the search for useful remedies. R. H. 



